Beauty and the Geek
by jomosfamilyjewels
Summary: AU/AH - Klaus owns a comic book store and Caroline is the pretty little thing that moves into the retail space next door. Light and fluffy, to go with all the doom and gloom that's been popping up lately! Rated M...because you know me...it'll get smutty before you know it. *snickers*
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **

**Hello folks! With all the doom and gloom on Tumblr these days, I thought our little fandom could use some lighthearted fluff and I also thought this would be so fun to write. Although, these characters are a much lighter version of themselves, I feel like with time, they'll find the depth and beauty of what we love about Klaus and Caroline. **

**For now, however, just enjoy the story. It's silly and fun! Also, you will see some slight parallels to The Big Bang Theory...my main inspiration for this story. **

**Thank you to Kate, Christine, Angel, and a little bit of Lea, for helping me make sense.**

* * *

"Heal me!"

"There's too many of them, we aren't prepared!"

"We need better fucking weapons!"

"He's too powerful!"

"Listen to me! We got this! Kol, back the fuck up and get the ones behind us! Bonnie, keep doing what you're doing and heal like you've never healed before! Jeremy, you are the best hunter around, you can do this! Now, draw the attention of the others your direction and I'll take care of _him_."

Klaus maneuvers forward, his shield held strong and his sword swinging with diligence and purpose. They have not come all this way, and gotten this close to their target, for it to all go to waste. They will vanquish this creature and succeed in this quest.

"Bonnie, keep it up, we've almost got him!"

The small caster keeps her hands raised high, the power of the earth moving through her elvan frame and shooting through her fingers. Green light illuminates her friends, resurrecting them each time they near death.

"That's it, one more strike and we've got him!"

"Kol, pull...PULL!"

The solid figure in front of Klaus, as well as his minions, collectively drop to the floor. Success is theirs as the loot drops and is distributed to the guild.

It only took them three hours, but this dungeon has paid off, as Klaus' worgen is now wielding a new shield, and a new pair of boots.

"If we had to do that raid one more time, I swear to God, I would've quit this stupid game," Klaus hears Bonnie say over his headset.

"Yeah right, Bon, you know you can't stay away," Kol interjects.

"Well, I gotta log and open the shop, Kol you coming in later?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"Alright, good job, guys! Same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"Like I got anything better to do?" Kol laughs.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

With his index finger, and out of habit more than necessity, Klaus pushes the center of his thick black framed glasses back to his face. He peers at the clock, stretches his arms and flexes his fingers. After staring at his computer for the better part of the morning, getting lost in a world of heroics and dungeons, he and his guild have once again mastered the newest expansion of World of Warcraft.

He stands to stretch and makes his way out of his office, bringing the cash drawer with him and sliding it in place. He picks up a nearby rag and glass cleaner, spraying down the counter and removing the lingering fingerprints from yesterdays patrons. He peers inside to see the many collectibles. The Caped Crusader, The Man of Steel, and The Amazon Princess peer back at him. Their faces bringing a familiar comfort to him since he was a small child.

After ensuring the glass cases are locked and secured, he moves to the other side to inspect the shelves. He received a new shipment of the latest Fantastic Four yesterday afternoon, and so he jostles things around and reorganizes to make room for the newest edition. Before placing the final comic, he removes it from its plastic protection and brings it under his nose, inhaling that fresh-off-the-press smell. He has read it more than once already, being certain to do the appropriate amount of research for his patrons...but one more time couldn't hurt. What would it look like if the owner of the number one comic book store in town isn't completely up to date with each edition that he has in stock?

He takes the comic back behind the counter and becomes enthralled with the foursome's latest conquest. He can appreciate all comics, the newer ones appealing to the younger generations, with their darker drawings and darker themes, but nothing brings him more pleasure than the vintage collection of first editions he has hidden safely away at the bank. The original adventures of Spiderman, Batman and Robin, The Hulk and many more, remaining in mint condition; never disturbed and forever holding their value.

As he nears the end of the story, he doesn't bother to look up when he hears the chime of the doorbell. "We're not open yet," he mumbles and keeps to the pages in front of him.

"Oh, sorry," he hears a woman's voice.

Wait? A woman?

Klaus' head shoots up from the counter and toward the door, the female vibrato causing alarm and shock to go off in his head. The typical woman that comes into his store, rare as it may be, is nothing like the woman he sees before him now.

The sun beams behind her, illuminating her silhouette. If he wasn't a rational man and lived in a fantasy world, (okay, so he collects comic books and plays World of Warcraft, what's your point?), he would think that Susan Storm just jumped off the pages and manifested in front of him. In fact, a number of sexy female heroines rush to his mind as he gazes upon the beauty. The blonde soft curls of Supergirl, the brilliant ice blue eyes of Wonder Woman, and the never ending, perfectly toned, wish they would wrap themselves around me legs of Emma Frost. Bad and beautiful, the White Queen will forever and always hold a special place in his...um...heart.

"I- I'm sorry, I can come back later," she says and begins to leave.

It takes him longer than one would consider polite, blame it on the dropped jaw and lack of coherent thinking, before he clears his throat and speaks, "Wait, we can- we can open the store a little early."

"We?" she asks and steps inside, peering around at the empty shop.

He once again adjusts his glasses, his nervous habit causing his gaze to drift away from her face and down to...her cleavage. Okay, maybe not so far down. He shakes his head and smiles up at her.

"Uh, I mean, I- I can open the store early, it's just me," he smiles gingerly and moves past her to turn the sign to 'open'. Sweet Jesus, is that her that smells like vanilla?

"You don't have to do that, I just wanted to meet my new neighbor," she smiles warmly and extends her hand. "Caroline," she offers.

"Klaus." He takes her hand, "So, you're our new neighbor?"

"Uh-huh, just started leasing the space next door." Caroline steps further into the shop, and Klaus takes advantage of her back turned to take in more of her form.

He was right about the legs. They went on forever. Her black high heels and incredibly short shorts are leaving little room for his imagination, while her low cut and sleeveless blouse hangs loose and slightly transparent, revealing a very faint (if he squints just so) outline of her bra... or is that a tank top?

"Oh, I remember Sailor Moon!"

Her voice brings him back to the here and now. Of course she would find the one and only rack that is specifically catered to girls. Again...not normally girls like her, but girls just the same.

"You like Sailor Moon?"

"I don't know a girl like me that doesn't," she laughs and begins to flip through the first few pages of the book. "Sexy, smart, crime fighting teenagers. Seemed pretty great when I was sixteen."

Interesting, he thinks. Where are all these girls like her that she speaks of? She is certainly the first of her kind that he's come across in the store, outside his baby sister of course...oh and Bonnie, but neither of them count. Perhaps there's a secret society of hot, female comic book connoisseurs that he's unaware of. Well, that's why they're secret, he realizes and chuckles to himself.

"You like manga?" he asks hesitantly.

"Manga?" She gives him a quizzical look.

"Umm, comic books?" he tries a different approach and points at the book in her hand.

"Oh no, I just watched the Sailor Moon TV show after school, comic books have always been _way_ too geeky for me," she blurts nonchalantly, as if she's not talking to a comic book store owner.

Klaus' head lowers to the ground and he raises his eyebrows, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and a bit defensive. _Thank you Caroline, for reminding me of why I have no time for girls like you, _he thinks.

"Yes, well, it was nice meeting you and all, but I should really get back to...uh," he glances at the comic opened on the counter, and hesitates. He doesn't know why but her little comment affects him, "uh, I need to straighten a few more things before I actually open."

"Oh, darn it, I did it again, I went and shot my mouth off without thinking," she walks toward the counter and gives him that same winning smile from before. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that you're a-...well, that you're a gee-...I mean, _look at you_, and your accent is just-, well..._obviously_ you're not a geek," she finally says and throws a hand out at him.

He glances down at his jeans and faded Captain America t-shirt. Even with his geek persona, he's never considered himself a _geek_ in the traditional sense of the word. He keeps himself fit, exercises his body and his mind. Not to mention he and his family run a successful business. He's always felt like the admiration he has for all things nerdy, is just an ironic quirk that he's had since he could remember. A typical collector, is captivated by the stories, mostly looking for an escape from an otherwise nominal existence. Not to mention the women have become more fantastic with the evolution of the artwork, their bodies becoming less and less realistic as their busts get bigger and their waists get smaller. Being an artist himself, spending hours tracing and retracing the human form, he has an appreciation for more than what the run of the mill comic book collector has.

And comics have never wholly defined him.

When he looks back at her, he's not entirely positive, but it looks as though she's blushing. He can't help but snicker as she stares at her feet and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. Although, he would never admit to being a ladies man, it doesn't go unnoticed to him when a girl seems to show interest. But whether or not he has the nerve to make a move is a completely different thing. She glances up at him through fluttered lashes, and he gets lost in her Wonder Woman baby blues once more.

What was he saying again?

He shifts uncomfortably, and adjusts his glasses once more (he can't help it, it's a nervous tick, okay?). "Uh, well, it's okay," he smiles a tight lipped smile at her. "I'm aware of the _special_ clientele that comes into my shop," he offers, hoping to make her feel better.

She laughs nervously and nods her head. "So, this is _your_ shop?"

"Yeah...well, my family's. My siblings and I own it."

"Hmm, that's nice," she says and he hears in her voice that she means it.

They spend a moment longer in silence, neither one really knowing where to take the conversation from there.

"So, you're leasing the space next door?" Klaus says, breaking the silence. "What kind of shop are you opening?"

"It's a boutique...clothes...well, mostly French clothes."

French clothes? Klaus didn't realize there was a difference in the clothes that were worn here and in other countries. Although he can appreciate the little outfit she's wearing now, his interest in this subject goes about as far as his interest in the Sailor Moon novel she's grasping. "I see," is all he says.

She stands there for a moment longer before speaking. "Well, I should head back," and throws a thumb over her shoulder. "It was really nice meeting you Klaus." She turns to leave but before reaching the door she turns quickly back around. "Oh, oops," she says and scurries back to replace the Sailor Moon book she still has in her possession. She takes two steps backward and gives him a sweet wave before turning and exiting the shop.

Klaus gives her a small wave in return and then just stares in her wake, the subtle scent of vanilla still lingers in the air. His moment of reverie and recollection of what just transpired between them quickly fades away as the door to the shop opens again. This time it's his brother Elijah, a box of doughnuts in hand. He peers out the door one more time before closing the gap between them.

"Do we have a new neighbor?" he asks Klaus.

"Um, yeah, looks like."

Elijah notices Klaus' face and just shakes his head. The look of love struck nerd written all over it.

"What?" Klaus asks, noticing his brother's stare. He's trying to show as much indifference about Caroline as he can muster.

"That girl is _not_ going to have coitus with you," Elijah plainly states.

"What?! That's not even- I wasn't thinking that she-" he grabs the comic off the counter and walks across the store to place it back on the shelf. "Shove off, Elijah!"

* * *

**Hahaha! Elijah will be my Sheldon, and you will love it!**

**Don't forget to find me and follow me on Tumblr. Jomosfamilyjewels is where you'll find me. **

**Also, if you wouldn't mind spending a moment to review, I would love you forever. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks guys, for all the awesome reviews. Seriously...it's so great knowing that my silly little fic was liked by so many of you. I was inspired and couldn't wait to write and update. **

**Thank you my dearest Becky, my sweet Alex, the lovely Miranda and miraculous Christine for taking a peek and helping with some of my inspiration. **

**Remember to not take this fic too seriously. It's the absolute definition of fluff, with hopefully a bit of comedy. HA!**

**Up! Up! and Away!**

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**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After staying up all night to perfect it, Caroline scans her shop to be certain everything is in it's rightful place. A year of planning, finding just the right space, going to a dozen fashion shows and collecting each individual piece that she is going to sell, she needs everything to be perfect for her opening.

Just off of Main street, across from many vintage inspired and unique shops, the ivy covered entrance stood out to her the moment she saw it. It was used as an office space for many years, but she always felt it was being highly under utilized for its potential. The day she saw the For Lease sign, her mind went into overdrive and she picked up the phone to call the number. After only two days of the space being empty, Caroline quickly became the proprietor of her very own boutique; a lifelong dream finally coming into fruition.

The faded white brick walls give it a vintage look without all the extra labor, and with the crystal chandeliers she had installed and the worn oak floors, the space is bright and inviting. She always felt the less crowded the better, so the items are sparse and divided into three main sections. Camisoles and sleepwear, bras and panties, and of course, teddies and a colorful array of bustiers. There are also a few pairs of shoes, garter belts, stockings, and a collection of perfumes to choose from. Although a woman prancing around in tiny silk undergarments seems to do the trick the majority of the time, she will never underestimate the combination of a great pair of heels and a scented decolletage to go with it.

Everything is color coordinated and perfectly placed. She spent a good two hours arranging and rearranging the front table of panties; trying to make them perfect. If she wasn't a little OCD, she wouldn't be very good at this job.

The display tables are donned with antique bird cages and the walls have Parisian inspired sketches of dresses and purses, not to mention portraits of breathtaking landscapes. She wanted the shop to reflect the sophistication of Paris but also the lush and dramatic beauty of the countryside.

The front counter is a glass case and in it is the most expensive pieces that she has in the shop. Custom made jewelry that she special ordered from Paris, costing her a pretty penny. But with the clientele she expects to attract and the 75% mark-up on each item, they were certain to pay off in the end. Just one sale and she could pay her monthly rental of the space.

There's a small knock on the front door and Caroline walks around the counter to see who it is. When she sees the annoyed expression of her friend, obviously perturbed that the door isn't open and waiting for her grand entrance, she gives her a half smile and unlocks it to let her in.

"Can I get a key already?" Katherine exclaims.

"Yes," she chuckles and rolls her eyes playfully at her friend. "I have one in the cash register for you." Caroline moves back to the counter and steps around, hitting the tend button of the antique cash register. She extracts the simple key with a soft pink ribbon attached and hands it over to Kat.

"Holy cow, Care, this place looks amazing!" Katherine says, and places her purse on the counter. "Seriously, you've completely outdone yourself."

Caroline jumps in place and claps her hands, "It's so exciting; I never thought this day would come."

"Yay!" Kat joins her on the other side of the counter and grabs her hands, the two of them jumping in place, giggling as if they were still the two overly enthusiastic cheerleaders from high school.

The fun comes to an abrupt stop when one of her pictures comes crashing to the floor. "Oh crap," Caroline lets go of Katherine's hands and picks it up. "I guess that nail isn't going to hold."

"Do you have something a little sturdier?" Kat laughs, obviously Caroline should have had the pictures installed professionally with the chandeliers.

"No, all I have are these nails."

"Well, I can go to the hardware store if you want," she offers Caroline.

Caroline looks at Kat as though she is a leprechaun in a tutu. "Right, _you _in a hardware store."

"What? I can find what we're looking for."

"Yes, but I'm afraid what you're looking for would be in the form of one of the handymen that works there," Caroline looks at Kat as if she's daring her to disagree.

Katherine just shrugs and purses her lips, "Well at least we would have someone to install it for us."

"Yes, way to think outside the box, Kat," Caroline says flatly. She glances at her watch to be certain of the time and heads for the door. "I think I'll just pop in next door to see if Klaus has anything that would work."

"Klaus?"

"Uh, yeah...he's the owner of the comic book shop next door."

"Oh, I bet _he's_ a winner," she says sarcastically.

"Actually, he kinda is," Caroline shrugs.

"Hmm," Kat eyes Caroline suspiciously, "I know that look: you like this guy."

"What? No- he's just this guy and- he's nice and well- I don't know." Caroline searches for the right words. "Just, stay here, I'll be right back," she finally says in a huff.

"Not on your life!" Kat exclaims. "I am _so_ coming with you!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"I told you, I need it for my Robin collection."

"Well I need it for my Batman collection."

Kol and Elijah have been vying for the same comic for the better part of twenty minutes. You would think that a comic book store would keep more than one copy of a book in stock. In most cases, this is true, but on the rare occasion Klaus comes across a gem, a piece of history that he can't help but trade or buy, which means - only one.

Although this particular comic is not in the best condition, it doesn't matter, both brothers are adamant that they grabbed it first.

"Klaus, tell Elijah to back the fuck off!"

"I don't appreciate your vulgar language, brother, and I will not relent, if that's what you're implying."

"Ugh, you're so annoying," Kol whines. "We need a ruling, Klaus!"

"Here's an idea, maybe you guys can leave some comics for the people that actually _buy_ them?"

"What would be the point of owning a comic book store if you don't get the perks of first come..._first serve_," he adds and throws a sharp look at Elijah.

Klaus just rolls his eyes, he really needs to find a way to give the customers the first crack at the comics before his brothers. Luckily the chiming of the doorbell announces someone new and draws his attention to the front entrance, leaving the bickering brothers to their squabble. For the second day in a week he is surprised to see a certain blonde gracing the threshold. He turns to greet her with a warm smile and a shy wave.

"Caroline, hey, welcome back."

"Um, thanks," she tucks her hair behind her ear and glances to the ground. What is wrong with her? She's dated cocky musicians, a number of wealthy businessmen, and not to mention her short lived stint with the charming and aloof male model, Matthew Donovan. But none of them seemed to have the effect on her that Klaus does. So what is it about this guy that makes her act like a silly schoolgirl? She glances back up at him when he steps closer, his deep dimples wink at her, and he runs his hands through his messy blonde curls before adjusting his black framed glasses. _Oh yeah,_ she thinks, _that's what it is._

"Well, hello there, Klaus is it?" another female voice pipes up. The other girl leans in between them, extending her hand to Klaus. He didn't even notice her come in with Caroline. "Cute little shop you got here."

_Cute? _

"This is Katherine," Caroline says with exasperation.

"Nice to meet you, Katherine."

"Oh, _now_ I see what all the fuss is about!" she says oh so _not_ subtly. "And a Brit." Katherine coos, laying on her Petrova charm a little too thick.

"Yes. Well," Klaus clears his throat and withdraws from her lingering hand shake. He can't deny that she is gorgeous, but something about her gives off a Catwoman vibe with her sultry smile and tempting eyes. He's certain she's more than any man can truly handle and feels a slight twinge of pity for the poor sap that falls for it.

"Well, well, who do we have here?"

Speaking of poor saps.

Kol leans in, resting his arm on the nearby counter and tucking his hand under his chin. He waggles his eyebrows at the brunette before noticing Caroline standing there as well. "This must be my lucky day. Two beautiful women," he leers and extends his hand toward Caroline.

"This is my brother, Kol," Klaus hesitantly introduces the cretonne.

"Enchante, Mademoiselle," he purrs and leans down and kisses Caroline's hand.

Caroline musters as much strength as she can to keep the sneer from forming on her face. _Be polite_, she tells herself. "Um, hi, it's...nice to meet you."

She thinks.

"And you as well," he continues with his abrasive charm and moves on to give Kat the same attention. When he reaches for her hand she just stands there and cocks her head at him and folds her arms, looking at him as though he's crazy for even trying.

Yep. Catwoman.

"Feisty. I like that!"

"Don't you have a comic book to wrestle away from Elijah?" Klaus says a bit too forcefully, hoping Kol gets the hint and leaves.

"Oh, he mumbled something about me being defeated by my own prurient interests. Whatever that means."

"You got distracted and he took it from you?" He could never resist the sight of a pretty girl.

Klaus shakes his head and snickers while Kol shrugs with a smirk and continues to wiggle his eyebrows at the two young ladies. He'll say this much about his brother, at least his interests go beyond the fantasy women in his comic books. Confidence, whether feigned or not, has never been an issue with Kol.

"Kol, someone needs to be rung up," he nods toward the direction of the register where a skinny guy in sweatpants and a tucked in green lantern t-shirt waits.

"I'll be right over there, ladies, if you need me," he adds and slowly walks to the front counter.

"Unlikely," Katherine giggles.

"Kat!" Caroline jabs her friend with her elbow.

"It's alright, he's a bit..." _What's the word?_ "much." Klaus decides on.

Caroline eyes Katherine, after a moment of lingering silence, signaling for the other girl to give her a minute with Klaus.

"Alright," she finally catches on. "I can take a hint. I guess I'll have a look around. Ooh, who's the guy in the Armani?" Selina Kyle slinks away toward her next prey (poor Elijah) leaving Klaus and Caroline alone at last.

"Sorry about her, she doesn't really have a filter."

"Yes, and Kol, we're pretty sure he's adopted."

Caroline glances toward the counter where Kol still lingers, he's looking at her and isn't even phased by the fact that she caught him staring. He twiddles his fingers at her and gives her a wink. Manners be damned...she rolls her eyes at him.

When she brings her attention back to Klaus, she finds him staring at her too. However, his stares cause butterflies to flutter in her stomach. Not really knowing what to do with herself, she turns to her own nervous habit.

Rambling.

"So, I've almost got my shop up and running, we're opening tomorrow, I'm really excited. Anyway Kat and I got a little too excited...you know, jumping up and down...and one of my pictures fell, which is just totally annoying because I worked super hard at putting all of them up, in the perfect spot. It's one of my favorites too-"

Klaus watches Caroline continue to ramble, her hands waving in the air, so animated in her storytelling. He isn't quite sure what the point is to her story but he's certainly amused by watching her tell it.

"-and it was one of a kind, and-"

"Um, Caroline?" he reluctantly interrupts.

"Hm- what?" she stammers.

"Is there something that you need?"

"Oh, right, well...yes, as much as I would love to consider myself a strong and independent woman, there are just some things that a woman needs a man for."

Oh my God, did she just say that?

"What I mean to say is a guy is better equipped for some things."

_Jesus, Caroline. Equipped? Seriously? _

"I mean...I could use your help. If you have a second." She feels the heat begin to creep up her neck and touch her cheeks. The innuendos are not lost on her, and by the look on his face they aren't on him either.

He shifts in place, one foot to the other and back again, and gulps. The images that are racing through his mind need to stay away. So how does he respond?

Okay Klaus, think. What would Tony Stark say? He would probably hand her a drink and make some suave comment like, "I'm sure I can help you find the right equipment that you're looking for." But seeing as she's probably had her fill of creepy Mikaelsons, (thank you Kol) there's no need to completely scare her off.

"Sure," he says instead. "Lead the way."

"Great, thank you." Caroline turns around and sighs with relief.

_Wow, I could use a drink_, she thinks.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Caroline fumbles with the keys in her hand, looking over her shoulder and smiling at Klaus. "Thanks again," she says.

"Not a problem. I think I can leave the brothers in charge for a little while."

She turns the key and slides inside, the din of her storefront bell mirroring the comic book store's, and walks toward the counter to retrieve the fallen picture.

Klaus stands at the threshold and stares inside, his feet not able to propel him forward. He has to blink a few times and adjust his glasses to be certain he's seeing what he's seeing. A plethora of lace, satin and silk has accosted his senses causing them to jump into overdrive and linger somewhere...um...private.

He's not sure why, but he suddenly feels as though he's intruding in Caroline's underwear drawer. He doesn't know where to look, so he just glances at the door frame as if he's inspecting its structure.

"So this is it," Caroline says and sets it on the counter. "Klaus?"

"Hm- what?" He drops his hand from the doorway.

"You can come in, you know?"

"Right. I was just inspecting the...um...thing here," he says and points at nothing in particular. He takes a hesitant step inside and with his eye line never leaving hers he walks briskly to her side; flashes of pink and satin setting fire to his peripheral.

"I was only using a single nail, now I'm thinking it needs to be drilled into the wall." Caroline holds the framed picture and stares at the blank wall behind the counter.

_I can think of something else that needs to be drilled_, Tony Stark thinks to himself.

Klaus is relieved to have something else to focus on besides the inappropriate images of Caroline's boudoir dancing in his head. "May I?" he asks and holds his hands out for the picture.

Caroline hands it to him and watches as he inspects it. He adjusts his glasses and she smiles at him, she's pretty sure he has no idea how cute he is.

"Okay, so I think I have something that could work back at the store." He sets the picture back down on the counter. "You see this right here," he asks and leans in and points at a small hole in the back of the frame.

Caroline scoots closer and lowers her head next to Klaus'. "Yes, I see it."

"The manufacturer puts those there as a guideline. They expect you to use it as a starter to secure the brackets."

"Oh that makes sense," she laughs and glances over at him. It's at this time she realizes how close they actually are. She takes advantage of their closeness to scan his face and to get a clearer view of his blue green eyes hiding behind those thick framed glasses. He notices her staring and for a moment they are equally mesmerized by each other; neither one daring to look away.

His eyes flick to her mouth, and she reciprocates his stares by darting her tongue out and biting her bottom lip. They make eye contact once more; an unspoken dialogue being channeled between them.

Klaus' nerves are getting the better of him now and he is uncertain of where to go from here. He knows what Tony would do, that's for sure, but he's afraid he doesn't have the same allure as Mr. Stark. However it doesn't matter, because the moment is ruined by the interrupting chime of the doorbell and the indignant screeching of Katherine Petrova.

"OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LEFT ME ALONE IN THERE!"

* * *

**Haha! Katherine the cockblocker! **

**Once again...thanks for reading. Love your reviews...so pretty please with Jomo on top send them my way. **

**Until next time...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, wow! You guys are so awesome. Thank you for the amazing reviews and all the follows. **

**Thanks to all my Beta Beauties! You guys are seriously the best. **

**Also, I have plans for a couple more pairings in this little fic, if it isn't obvious. My main focus is Klaroline though, while the others are added entertainment. So don't worry too much about who's going to hook up with who. All will be revealed...teehee. **

**Let's get right to it...and enjoy!**

* * *

"Seriously!?" Katherine storms into the shop. "Why would you do that to me?"

"Do what?" Caroline questions.

"You just left me with all those...geeks!" She throws her hands over her head. "All they did was stare at me the whole time. It was terrifying." Katherine gives a dramatic shiver.

Caroline glances at Klaus and mouths "I'm sorry."

"Trust me, love, they're more scared of her than she is of them," he says aloud.

"Ha! Doubtful!" Katherine shouts and continues to ramble. Caroline stops listening, however, too distracted by the fact that Klaus just called her 'love'. British accents are her kryptonite.

What? She knows _some_ superhero references.

"And what is the _deal_ with Elijah?" Katherine continues, her voice getting higher indicating how frazzled she truly is.

"What do you mean?" Klaus asks, although a number of Elijah's quirks come flooding to his mind.

"Don't get me wrong, your brother can _wear _a suit, I mean, we're talking borderline sexy," she starts. "That is until he opens his mouth."

Elijah has never been the easiest person to get along with. It takes time and patience to fully understand how his brother's 'Beautiful Mind' works. He's always been the analytical one; never really understanding the basic concepts of human interaction. Where his younger brother doesn't know when to stop talking, his older brother ends conversations quickly with his truthful outlook on life.

"Elijah isn't really a people person."

"Ya don't say," Katherine throws her hands on her hips and tilts her head at him.

Caroline isn't sure she wants to push Kat for any further explanation of what transpired between the two of them, but it's rare to see her friend so flustered. It's usually others that are put off by her Petrova honesty, not the other way around. Not to mention she usually gets her way, and if she had her sights set on Elijah, even if it was just for a little attention, and he didn't give it to her...well...she may have just met her match.

"You mean to tell me that you met a man that didn't fall for your charm?"

"Please," Kat responds, as if that's the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard. "First off, I'm not even sure he's human, and secondly, I would need to care what some comic book reading, suit wearing, dillhole thinks about me."

_Dillhole. That's a new one,_ Klaus laughs to himself. "What did he say to you?"

"Does it matter?" she screeches. "I've never been more offended in my life!"

"It usually helps to bring the matter back to him and explain his actions, or else it's just a vicious cycle," he twirls his finger in a circular motion.

"Well, why don't you ask him," she walks to the counter to retrieve her purse. "I'll see you tomorrow, Care, I'm gonna head home and wash the scent of nerd off of me."

Kat stalks off, her mess of brown curls bouncing with the heat of her step. She stops and whips her head around before exiting. "And for the record! I do _not_ have a formidable future in promiscuity!"

The door slams leaving a shocked but mostly amused Caroline. Her hands go to her mouth in prayerful contemplation before peering at Klaus, whose look of amusement mirrors her own. They suddenly burst out laughing.

"I don't have any idea what just happened, but I gotta say I kinda love your brother."

"He definitely has a unique way with women."

"He doesn't seem to have your charisma, that's for sure," she says.

Klaus looks over at her and smiles, "You think I have charisma?" he asks her.

"You're not horrible company," she says softly and looks at the ground before fluttering her eyelashes back up at him.

Uh oh. What now?

_KISS HER!_ Tony screams at him.

As much as he'd like to heed the advice of the beloved Iron Man, Klaus' inability to function in the presence of this woman takes hold. He's beginning to overanalyze and that typically means sweaty palms and word vomit. He clears his throat and says the most sensible thing that comes to mind, "I'm going to take this back to my store. Is that okay? I'll bring it by in the morning?"

What is this guy's deal? She couldn't be more obvious with her flirtations.

Caroline nods and smiles at him, maybe he's not as into her as she thought. Or maybe he has a girlfriend, or he's...gay? No, he couldn't possibly be gay. Her gaydar has been spot on since the summer of '09 when she dated Damon Salvatore and thought his subscription to Better Homes and Gardens was just to make him a better boyfriend to her. Turns out it made him a better boyfriend for their 12th grade history teacher, Alaric Saltzman.

Klaus turns to leave, knocking into her front display of panties on the way out causing a few to fall to the floor. "Sorry...sorry," he says and reaches down to pick them up.

"Klaus?"

"Hm?" He's frozen in place, a pair of panties grasped in his hands.

"You forgot the picture." She picks it up to hand it to him.

"Oh...right." He walks back over to her before realizing he still has the silky fabric in his hands. He looks down at the intimate item and races back and drops it on the table.

Caroline smirks and presses her lips together to hold back a laugh, as she watches him smooth out the delicate items, with forceful diligence. He is completely out of his element and it's both hilarious and enduring.

"It's fine, Klaus, I'll fix them."

He runs his hands through his hair and laughs nervously before stepping back to her and reaching out for the picture. Their hands meet briefly, causing her hand to tingle at his touch. He looks down at her, his eyes scanning her face once more and trailing down to her mouth.

"Your store is really nice," he says quietly.

"Thanks," she whispers and shows his mouth the same attention with her gaze.

He leans in and for the briefest moment she thinks he's going to kiss her but instead he speaks, "I enjoy your company as well, Caroline."

He turns around and stumbles out of her store, leaving her knees a little weak and the butterflies returning.

No, Klaus is most definitely not gay.

He is definitely something different than what she's been interested in before, but she imagines that's why she likes him. He's sweet, caring and genuine. She could use a little more of that in her life.

She moves over to the front table, she could wait to straighten it until morning, but her OCD just won't let that happen. She picks up the disheveled panties and begins to align them just so. She giggles at the picture of him attempting to arrange them for her. His rough hands all over them, trying to help but only making it worse. She doesn't even try to stop herself from thinking of his hands on her in the same way.

Would the quiet, shy guy next door, be shy and quiet in the bedroom?

Her cheeks grow warm with the thought and the butterflies begin to move south. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, getting lost in her imagination.

"HOLY SHIT!"

Caroline is startled at the intrusive squeal outside her store. She sees Kol staring inside, his hands in his hair and a look of pure delight spread across his face.

"BEST NEIGHBORS EVER!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"That second x-chromosome contains nothing but nonsense and twaddle."

"Oh my God, Elijah." Klaus runs a hand over his face. "You can't just say those types of things to women."

"And why not?" Elijah sets down the book he is reading. "Clearly she was expecting some sort of reciprocation to her flirtatious behavior."

"And you thought calling her a whore would be the best way to do that?"

"I did nothing of the sorts," he scoffs, "I merely complimented her on her fortitude of seduction."

"Yeah, and you completely pissed her off."

"I assessed as much when she slapped me." Elijah raises his hand to his face, rubbing the spot Katherine's hand met his cheek. He smiles at the memory. She is definitely unlike any woman he's come across before.

"Does her lack of manners and insults not remind you a fair bit of Lady Deathstrike?"

Klaus closes his eyes and shakes his head.

Clueless Elijah.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Last night, Caroline barely got a wink of sleep. Her mind was too distracted by her opening. Not to mention Klaus, and his geeky charm and...rough hands. With the combination of lists she was making in her head and the _attention_ she was giving herself (if you know what she means) due to the "panty arranger", she failed to reach REM.

No matter, that's what 5-Hour energy shots and Iced Grande Triple Americanos are for.

Her store is set to open in an hour, and Caroline is headed back from her third Starbucks run. She skips across the street and stops abruptly when she sees a black Harley Davidson parked outside her shop. "Ooooh, what a gorgeous bike," she says appreciatively, and then looks around for who the owner could be. She imagines it's some sexy leather jacket wearing, tattooed muscle man, looking for a pristine and clean cut girl just her size to strap on a helmet and go for a ride.

She's got a thing for bad boys...what girl doesn't?

Instead of the biker she notices Klaus exiting his shop. She's quickly reminded that she has a thing for sexy geeks as well, as he greets her with flashing dimples and a quick adjustment to his glasses.

So cute.

"Hey," he waves.

"Hey!" she practically screams at him. Blame it on the caffeine high. "Is that my picture?"

"Yeah, do you need some help hanging it?"

"Oh no, I got it! I've been here since 5am, I couldn't sleep. So I just came to the shop and did a few more things...and one of those things was to anchor nails and photos. Oh...and I rearranged the bustiers so now they look like a rainbow. And the stockings are in a new place. Oh and I moved some of the accessories so they are hanging from the birdcages..." She's rambling again, but she just can't seem to stop. "Do you want to come in and see? It looks really great! Kat's not here yet, so you don't have to worry about seeing her..."

"Caroline," he laughs. "I have a lot going on next door, but I'm positive your shop looks great!" He hands her the picture and places a hesitant hand on her shoulder. "You're going to do great today!" he tells her.

"Thanks, I hope so," she says a bit calmer.

"If you want to stop by later, we're having a signing today," he offers.

"A signing?"

"Yeah, a local comic book author is coming by to sign copies of his new edition tonight. We usually make a big deal, ya know, streamers, drinks, finger foods, that sorta thing."

"Okay, yeah, I'll try and stop by."

"Great." Klaus walks back to his shop and waves before stepping inside.

Caroline's stare lingers a while at the door he just went through. Rough hands and panties occupying her brain once again.

"That geek sure knows how to get your panties in a twist."

"What?" Caroline spins around to find Kat smirking at her and wiggling her eyebrows. "I don't know what you're talking about," she tells her.

"Mmhmm," Kat chuckles. "Don't think I didn't notice the eye-sex the two of you were having last night."

"Kat!"

"Caroline!" she mimics back.

"Shut-up!" She rolls her eyes and opens the door to her shop.

"I don't know why you didn't just grab him by those thick black glasses and do him right there on the counter."

"Kat!"

"Oh Klausy," she feigns arousal. "Show me how nerdy you can be!"

"Oh my God, Kat, STOP!"

"Yes, _yes_, _YES_!" she continues and follows Caroline inside. "Give it to me like the Superman you really are!"

"KATHERINE!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

It is near closing time and Caroline couldn't have been more pleased with the success of her opening day. The place was full of patrons all afternoon and into the evening. She and Katherine barely had a moment to breathe, as they helped women spruce up their underwear drawers with the luxuries of France.

The last customer has left and Kat goes to the door to flip the sign to closed. "If this is any indication of what it's going to be like in here, we may need to consider bringing on another girl," she says.

"It was crazy, right? I never dreamed we would be this busy!"

"What's going on next door?" Kat asks as she peers out onto the street to see a line of awkward and poorly dressed boys lined up outside the comic book shop.

"Oh, they're having a signing, I guess, some big wig author."

Caroline closes the till after finally cashing out. It was a very good opening day.

"Are you going to check it out?"

"Why would I?" Caroline shrugs trying to pretend like she hasn't been waiting all day to go over and see Klaus one more time.

"I'm too tired to be snarky with you so I'm just going to tell you that you should because you like him."

Caroline looks at Kat and sees that, for once, she's being honest and sincere. "Do you want to come with?"

Kat takes the deposit envelope from Caroline's hands, "Nah, I'm just going to run this to the bank for us and then head home. A hot bath and a glass of pinot are waiting for me."

"Oh, okay, well maybe I should do the same," she shrugs.

"No, you should go next door and see Clark Kent," she winks at her.

Caroline takes a second to ponder Katherine's suggestion and then smiles over at her, not trying to deny her feelings any longer. "Yeah, I really should," she tells her friend.

"Excellent! Call me later?" Kat asks and grabs her purse from behind the counter.

Caroline nods and Kat heads for the door. "Oh Klausy," she says one more time and exits the shop.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Caroline enters the boys' shop and becomes familiar with what Katherine was speaking of last night. Every head has turned to look at her and she isn't quite sure which direction to head in. She could walk past the guy in sweatpants with the tucked in t-shirt, or the guy in the corduroy pants with the button up short sleeved shirt. Both were eying her with their mouths dropped open, causing her to cover up her fully clothed chest.

"Caroline, what a pleasant surprise." Kol shuffles through the masses to greet her at the door. Well, Kol is definitely the lesser of two...three evils. "Can I offer you a refreshment," he asks and points toward the display of snack food and sodas.

"Oh, I'm not going to stay long, I was just stopping by to see how your event is going. Is Klaus around?" Her eyes dart around the crowd to try and find him.

"You know...I'm far better company than my brother," he leans in and purrs. When she continues to search the crowd he gives up and sighs, "he's right over there." He points to the corner where a mass of heads are surrounding a table.

"Thanks," she offers and Kol watches her hips as they sway past him.

_Good God in heaven she's a hot piece of-_

"Kol," Elijah cuts into his thoughts.

"What?"

"We need to refill the refreshments."

"So do it yourself," he sneers at his brother and continues to watch Caroline's behind.

"Don't be ridiculous Kol, this is Hugo Boss," he gestures at his suit and tie.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Klaus sees Caroline approaching him and can't hide the huge grin that spreads across his face. He didn't think she would come, but here she is, looking as beautiful as she did this morning. She waves at him and he waves back.

"Quite a crowd," she says.

"Yeah, it's pretty busy." He looks around to admire the bounty of patrons in his shop. It's been a long time since they've had this sort of turn out. "Hey, how was your first day?"

"Really great, Kat and I didn't have a moment to rest," she beams.

"Where is Catwoman?" he asks her and peers behind her shoulder to see if she is trailing behind.

"Catwoman?" she snickers.

_Oh shit, good going, Klaus_, he berates himself.

"Um...yeah, just a little comparison my brothers and I have made." He tries to shrug it off, hoping he hasn't offended her.

She couldn't deny that the comparison is spot on. "You mean her bitchy attitude and sharp claws? I can see that," she offers, setting his mind at ease when her comment is followed by a giggle.

There's a momentary pause before Klaus changes the subject. "Hey, you want to meet the man of the hour before he leaves? He's about to take off."

"Sure," she nods.

Let's see this "special" comic book author.

When they slip between the crowd and towards the table in the back she imagines who she's going to meet. Even though Klaus has completely shattered her perspective of what kind of guys like comic books, she can't help but picture the mystery guest as some balding, middle aged man with yucky facial hair and a poorly executed wardrobe selection. So you can imagine her surprise when he turns out to be none of the above.

A young guy, with a full head of hair, clean shaven and a winning smile beams up at her.

"Caroline, meet Tyler Lockwood," Klaus introduces them.

Tyler immediately stands to his feet and extends his hand to greet her. "Hey, it's nice to meet you."

It's then that she notices the black leather jacket and Harley t-shirt he's wearing underneath.

"Is that...is that your bike outside?" she asks, thinking back on the shiny motorcycle she saw outside her shop earlier.

"Yeah, it is."

"It's really beautiful."

Not to mention the guy who rides it.

She's suddenly glad that Katherine didn't come with her or this guy would've been accosted indefinitely.

"Thanks," Tyler smiles and she smiles right back, getting slightly befuddled by his chocolate eyes and pouty mouth.

_What is happening right now,_ Klaus thinks to himself as he watches the two interact.

"I was just about to take off, you wanna go for a ride and maybe grab a bite to eat?" Tyler asks.

Just like that. He asks her out...just like that.

She isn't sure on how to respond. She thought her and Klaus may have something going on but by the look of indifference on his face she isn't quite sure. The idea of a bike ride and dinner with the man in front of her isn't unappealing. Actually he seems like a decent enough guy and he's definitely got that bad boy charm that she's always been crazy about. Without another thought, she looks back at Tyler and says, "Sure. Let me just go grab my purse and jacket."

She turns to Klaus and smiles, "We'll see you later?"

"Yeah, definitely," he smiles casually. "Have fun!"

Have fun? Does he really not care that she's about to go out with this guy?

"Okay, see ya."

He waves as she walks away and brings his attention back to Tyler who is standing there with a wide grin as he watches Caroline leave.

"Boy, she'll do, huh?" he leers.

Klaus doesn't know him well enough to grasp his full intention with Caroline, but from the look on his face and the sound of his cocky demeanor his hair stands on end and he feels a wash of protectiveness come over him.

"She's a really nice girl," he tells him, hoping he senses the warning in his voice.

"So, you and her aren't-" Tyler questions Klaus and Caroline's relationship.

_Yes! She's mine! Go away you talented, good-looking asshat!_

"Um, well, no...we're just neighbors," he says passively, although his brain is on fire with aggression.

"I don't know how you work next door to that and don't do something about it." He doesn't give Klaus the opportunity to respond before heading for the door. "We'll be in touch, Klaus. Thanks for inviting me to your shop, it was definitely _worth_ it." He lifts his eyebrows, the insinuation of meeting Caroline not lost on him.

"Yeah, no problem."

He peers after him, a gut wrenching jealousy beginning to spread over his body. Why didn't he speak up? Why did he just let her leave with him? Why _did _she leave with him? He thought they had something going on between them.

Elijah walks up beside him and looks in the same direction Klaus is gazing. "I'm confused," he tells Klaus.

"Oh, yeah, about what?" he asks but doesn't look at him.

"Well, from the way you've been acting since the blonde girl moved in, I thought you had feelings for each other."

Klaus just shrugs. "I kinda thought so too," he speaks honestly to his brother.

"Then why did you let her go with him?" he asks genuinely, not understanding the dynamic of what just took place.

Klaus isn't sure why he did either and so he justifies his actions with a response in a way his brother can comprehend, "Because, sometimes," he sighs, "sometimes the hero has to just let the girl go."

"So if you're the hero, does that mean our friend Tyler is the villain in this dynamic?"

"No- he's just the guy that- well he's not a vill-..." he sees the look of confusion on Elijah's face. "Yes. He's the villain, Elijah," he says making it simple.

"So, he's like the Venom to your Spiderman," Elijah states.

"Sure."

"The Lex Luthor to your Superman," he continues.

Klaus nods.

"The Sabertooth to your Wolverine, the Joker to your Batman, the Magneto to your Professor X-"

"I _got_ it Elijah!"

* * *

**Okay, before you get all, "Klaus is soooo OOC, how could he just let Tyler move in on Caroline like that?" Haha. Try to remember that, as much as he owns his Alpha role with his family and the shop...he's still a bit confused and overwhelmed with Caroline. He's pissed at Tyler and you'll see his Hybrid aggression come into play a little later. Don't you worry. Tyler is just a little hiccup on the path to their Beauty/Geek development.  
**

**Also, this is loosely based off of episode 2x11 of The Big Bang Theory. Watch it and you'll have a little peace of mind as to where this is headed. =) **

**Review and let me know your thoughts! Hope you enjoyed it. **


	4. Chapter 4

**It's a bird, it's a plane...it's an update to Beauty and the Geek!**

**Okay, so I'm taking a chance posting this on a Thursday. Eek! I thought you all could use a fluff and fun before tonight's episode. It's going to be so great! I'm soooo excited! Yay!**

**Anyhoo, thank you to livingdeadblondegirl, a-little-blonde-distraction and klarolineepiclove for being fabulous BETAs.  
**

**This chapter is a prelude to the glorious chapter I have planned next.  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Klaus, so help me God, if we have to do this dungeon again I'm going to kill you!"

"Klaus, no, what are you doing?"

"Shut up," Klaus screams into the headset.

"No."

"No!"

"NOOOO!" he hears a collective scream in his ears.

"I know I'm high, but...what the hell just happened?" Jeremy asks.

"I'm sorry," Klaus grumbles, "my taunt was on cooldown."

"Rookie move, brother," Kol grumbles.

"Get your head in the game, man!"

He wishes that he could, but after the signing his mind has been completely filled with thoughts of Tyler and Caroline. The two of them cruising the streets on his stupid motorcycle, her long legs tucked tightly behind his and her arms wrapped around his waist, instead of them being wrapped around him. The two of them dining together, laughing at his jokes and sharing her brilliant smile with someone other than him.

He knows he has no claim on Caroline. She's free to date whoever she wants. It's not like their interaction went beyond more than a few smiles and some kind words, but it was still enough for him to feel like their connection was worth more than a night out with Tyler "Fucking" Lockwood.

Why didn't he say something?

It is the question that has been haunting him all evening.

"Are we going to try this again or can I get completely blazed and move over to my couch?" Jeremy's laidback voice echoes in his ears. "I'd like to continue my Sex and the City marathon."

There's a silence that falls over the intercom. "Jer...um..." Bonnie tries but has no clue how to respond.

"What?" Jeremy asks with no inflection whatsoever.

"Sex and the City? Really, Jer?" her voice reflecting the faces of the entire guild.

"Have you ever watched those bitches high, Bon? Fucking classic."

"You're an idiot," she laughs.

"Huh-huh-huh," he chuckles, "yeah."

"Well, are we going to try this again, or not?"

"Only if Klaus gets his head out of his ass!" Kol hollers. "Seriously dude, what is your problem?"

"Guess, I'm just off tonight," he tells him, "Maybe we should just try again tomorrow, I'm pretty tired," he lies. He doubts he'll get any sleep tonight.

"Klaus," Elijah finally chimes in. "Might I offer a thought about your lack of concentration?"

Klaus sighs heavily. Elijah...always with the commentary. "Please, Elijah, do tell."

"Is it possible that you are afraid that Tyler Lockwood is going to have sexual intercourse with Caroline tonight?"

A gurgling noise follows a heaving cough which leads to an uproar of laughter.

"Dude," Jeremy wheezes and begins to cough. "Warn a guy before he's about to take a hit."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"So how did it go last night? Did you take nerd boy up, up and away?" Katherine eyes Caroline suggestively.

"No," she says matter a factly then shakes her head and smiles. "Actually, there was an interesting turn of events."

"Really? More interesting than devirginizing the Boy Wonder?"

"Seriously?" She walks over to the front door and unlocks it. The day has just started and already Katherine is on her A game. "First of all, I highly doubt the 'Boy Wonder' is a virgin," she hopes. "And secondly, I actually ended up going out with someone else."

"What?" Kat nearly spits out her Evian water. "Who?"

"Just this guy that was at the comic shop last night."

"You mean more than one of those winners over there has caught your attention?" Kat shakes her head, "You're like a nerd magnet."

Caroline begins to straighten up some of the tables, while Katherine rearranges the accessories, adding more to the birdcages.

"Actually, he's kinda..." she begins.

What was he?

Tyler fits the formula of what society says a girl should want to date. Charming, successful, and Lord knows good-looking. He says the right things and laughs at her jokes; always skirting around being genuine and saying things he's been taught to say to girls since adolescence.

Caroline has dated a number of these types of playboys and she's got them dialed in. Always flashing a brilliant smile, and feigning innocence with longing looks. Not to mention the way they always want to talk about her, but somehow can always bring the conversation back around to them, with added anecdotes to remind her of how great he is.

It's not that she didn't have a good time. She did. He's easy to talk to and he took her to a very nice restaurant. Their drive through the hills was amazing; every star was out to greet them and the warm air was perfect riding weather. Yes, Tyler was a perfect gentleman last night but as much as she tried to enjoy herself with him, her mind always seemed to drift to a certain comic book store owner.

His ability to make her laugh and weak in the knees all at the same time. How he says her name in that accent of his, with just a hint of a lilt at the end of it. His entire countenance is different from Tyler's. He's genuine through and through; from his smile to his interest in her.

So why in the world didn't he say something when Tyler asked her out?

This is the question that has been haunting her all night and well into the morning.

"He's kinda..." Katherine urges Caroline to continue, but her mind is now filled with thoughts of Klaus and she can't remember what she was going to say about Tyler.

"I don't know. We're going out again tonight...so...we'll see," she shrugs and continues to fold the nighties in front of her.

Katherine doesn't get the opportunity to question her further. The conversation ends with the chime of the doorbell, as a tall, slender blonde walks in to look around. She stops at the table of panties, picking one up and looking at the label. She nods as if she's impressed with the selection and moves further into the store.

She continues to the back, finding the bustiers, inspecting each one and dragging her fingers along the fabric.

"Can I help you find something?" Katherine asks.

"Just browsing," she says in a posh accent not turning her attention away from the rack. Katherine looks over at Caroline and rolls her eyes back and bobs her head back and forth, as if she's mimicking the girl's "too cool for school" attitude.

Caroline berates her with a glare, reminding her to retract the claws and be nice to the customers.

"Well, let me know if you don't see your size, or if you'd like to try anything on," Katherine plays sweet.

"Mmhmm," she mumbles and continues with her browsing, not even turning around to look at Katherine.

Katherine throws her hands up and shrugs. "I'm gonna go grab a coffee, you want?" she asks Caroline.

"No thanks, I'm still coming off my caffeine high from yesterday." It took a brisk ride on a motorcycle and a belly full of food to finally get her sleepy enough for bed.

Tyler was disappointed when she decided to go home instead of staying out longer with him, but a girl needs her beauty sleep. This is part of the reason she agreed to a second date.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Kat grabs her wallet behind the counter and heads across the street.

"Excuse me?" Caroline hears the posh girl say behind her.

She turns around and greets the guest. "Hi," she offers, "did you have a question?"

"Actually, yes, are you the owner of this shop?"

"Yeah, I am," she beams at the girl.

"It's quite lovely, and very authentic, might I add."

"Thanks."

"I lived in Paris for a little while, and it's hard to find a place in this town that actually carries these labels." She holds up the Valege bustier and matching garter.

"Well I'm glad you found us!"

"Yes, my brother was going on and on about a new lingerie shop in town," she starts, "so I thought I would see what had him practically salivating every time he mentioned it." She rolls her eyes at the memory, "Boys."

"Um, yeah..." Caroline agrees. "So, would you like to purchase those?" she asks pointing to the items in her hand.

"That would be wonderful." She hands them over to Caroline to ring up. "I have no idea where or who I would even wear it for, but I always find having sexy undergarments just gives you that extra bit of confidence you may need throughout the day. Don't you agree?"

Caroline nods and begins to ring the girl up. They continue with their casual conversation as Caroline wraps her lingerie in tissue paper and puts it in one of their custom boxes before slipping a ribbon over it. She likes to treat it as a gift, whether it's for someone else or just the person purchasing it. This shows her patrons that she has an attention to detail, and hopefully helps them remember her again in the future.

They chat a bit further about Paris and how great it is, when they hear a deafening screech outside the front entrance.

"Kol! You slimy little bastard, get the hell away from the window." Kat is visibly angry as she stands facing down the street toward the comic book store (no doubt where Kol has disappeared into). Her fists and jaw are clenched and Kat's inner demon is on the verge of boiling forward.

"Oh dear," the blonde says, "speaking of my salivating brother."

Caroline whips her head around to the girl. "I'm sorry, are you saying...that Kol...is your _brother_?" she says with far too much shock in her voice.

"Yes, though we're pretty sure he's adopted," she says, sounding just like her other brother for a moment.

"You mean, you're _his_ sister?" she says again about Kol but really she's thinking of Klaus.

She nods and offers her hand. "Rebekah Mikaelson."

"Caroline," she says in return.

The bell chimes and Kat comes barging in. "I swear to God, Care, if that skeezoid comes over here one more time-" she stops when she sees that the blonde from earlier is still in the shop.

"Katherine, this is Rebekah...Kol's _sister_," she emphasises, hoping Kat gets it.

"You mean to tell me that you're the sister of those neanderthals?"

She doesn't get it.

"But..." She looks Rebekah over quickly and concludes, "you're so normal!" she blurts out. Although she thought Elijah was normal too at first.

"Sorry," Caroline says sympathetically to Rebekah and shoots a warning look at her friend. "I think what she means is, we didn't know they had a sister."

"It's alright," Rebekah chuckles. "My brothers are a bit...eccentric, to say the least."

"The very least," Kat crosses the room and sets her coffee and purse down behind the counter.

"I'll have a chat with Kol, if you'd like," Rebekah offers.

"Oh no, don't-"

"Yes!" Kat interjects. "Tell him if he comes over here again that I'm going to tear out his liver!"

Caroline just sighs, giving up on teaching Katherine any manners. She's a good friend to have though. Always the one to speak up against injustices when Caroline finds herself too meek to do so. "You really don't have to do that," she says to Rebekah.

"Oh, it's no trouble. I'm always looking for a reason to give my brother a good verbal lashing." She picks up her package and heads for the door but turns around to speak before she leaves. "Although, you do realize that you opened your shop up next to a _comic book_ store, right?"

The two of them look at each other warily before looking back at Rebekah.

"Yes, well...it's a lovely shop, Caroline. I'm sure you're going to do quite well." She smiles at the girls one last time before leaving.

**\-[0]-[0]-/ **

Rebekah finds Klaus tucked away in his office, scribbling away in his notebook. "Hey, Elijah and I are going to head out and grab some dinner, you wanna come?"

Klaus shakes his head. "Nah, I think I'll stick around for awhile tonight...draw a little," he says with a shrug.

"Suit yourself."

"Hey, Klaus?" A petite girl in overalls and a pair of red glasses, stumbles up behind Rebekah. "Oh...hey, Rebekah. I didn't even see you come into the shop."

"I'm just here to pick up Elijah. How are you?" she asks sincerely.

"I'm good," she smiles up at her. "Just came back to tell the boss," she looks at Klaus, "that I'd like to head out now, if that's okay?"

"Oh yes, let her go," Rebekah looks at Bonnie. "Do you want to go have dinner with Elijah and I, Kol's meeting us there too?"

Klaus watches Bonnie shift in place, a familiar tell that she has when she gets nervous. He thinks it may have something to do with Kol and a crush she has developed for him. Why on earth she would like Kol, is completely beyond him.

"Sure, you can head out," he nods at the girls.

"Yay," Rebekah cheers.

The two girls couldn't be more different in their interests and appearance, but they've always found a kinship over being the only two females in this crazy world the Mikaelson boys live in. Where Rebekah dresses to the nines, much like Elijah, and always looks as though she stepped off of a magazine cover, Bonnie was the friendly Wiccan next door, who wore mostly earth tones and had a strong bond with Mother Earth, oh...and World of Warcraft. Best little Mage this side of Azeroth.

"Yay," Bonnie joins in with Rebekah. "Oh, you should know that the only person still out there is Elijah...and...um...he's helping a customer," she remembers and says cautiously.

She doesn't have to say anything further. They made a pact to never leave their eldest brother alone in the shop. He definitely knows his shit when it comes to comic books, but he also has no problem being overly informative when they ask his opinion.

"Right," Klaus nods and the three file back out to the store.

"What about this one for my grandson?" they hear an older woman say. She's holding up a comic book; clearly in need of direction on what to buy.

"Oh, wonderful choice," Elijah says.

"Great."

"Provided he's already read Infinite Crisis and 52, and is familiar with the re-establishment with the DC multiverse."

"What's a multiverse?"

Elijah just shakes his head and walks away, "Let's go, Rebekah," he hollers at his sister, leaving the poor woman with a helpless expression and a dropped jaw.

Obviously Elijah has no time for her silliness.

"I got it," Bonnie says and starts toward the confused woman.

"No, Bon, that's okay, I got it," he tells the Wiccan. "You can head out."

She nods at Klaus and races to catch up with Rebekah and Elijah. "Hey, wait up guys!"

"Nothing too spicy," he hears Elijah tell Rebekah.

"Okay," she responds.

"And nothing too messy," he continues.

"Anything else?" she asks annoyed.

"No chain restaurants. They bother me."

"Jesus Elijah," she huffs and all three exit the shop.

Klaus helps the woman pick out a simple story. One that has no further explanation besides the pictures between the covers. She seems satisfied and Klaus walks around the counter after she makes her purchase. "Have a nice day," he tells her and holds the front door open for her as she exits.

Once she's left, he glances at the clock and decides it's been a long enough day, and with no other customers in sight he turns the sign to 'Closed'. Before he closes the door, however, he spots Caroline across the street.

Her hair is in loose curls around her shoulder with one side pinned up. She has on a white dress with a blue jacket and tall boots, accenting her long legs which are tucked behind Tyler's as they sit on his stupid motorcycle together.

_Another date? You have got to be kidding me!_

His chest feels tight and an overwhelming envy begins to swell. To make matters worse, he swears he can smell a whisper of vanilla lingering in the air around him. Taunting him. Reminding him that it's not him that gets to smell her up close, but the deviant on the stupid motorcycle with her.

You know when you see someone you think you know and so you wave at them? Then you realize that it's not who you thought it was and you feel like an idiot afterward? Take that feeling and multiply it by a thousand and you'll know how Klaus feels in this moment.

He thinks he sees her glance his direction, so he raises his hand and waves at her but she doesn't return the gesture. She just loops her arms around Tyler's waist and the two of them ride away on his stupid motorcycle. He is left feeling sheepish _and_ ridiculous when he realizes his hand is still in the air. Waving at nobody...just hanging out...waiting for an invisible high five.

He drops his hand and his head and moves inside. Locking the front door and going back to his office. He is now fully intent on spending the rest of the evening relaxing and trying, most likely hopelessly, to get Caroline and her tall boots out of his mind.

He sits down at his desk, switches on the local rock station and begins to work on the drawing that he had been working on earlier, and like many times before, Klaus becomes enthralled in the picture that he is bringing to life.

Soft curls, bright eyes and a warm smile begin to take shape on the page.

* * *

**Don't be too disappointed. Remember that all things point to Klaroline in this fic. Hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to find me at jomosfamilyjewels on Tumblr. **

**And if you have a second, send me a review! They really are the fuel behind such quick updates. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you everyone for the support. I am enjoying writing this story just as much as you are enjoying reading it. It is just so. much. fun. **

**Thank you Miranda, Becky and my Kate (aka Minion) for being my superb Betas, and giving me the confidence that I need to keep writing.  
**

**There is really no introduction to this chapter. I hope you love it as much as I do! **

* * *

After rambling off a number of options for Elijah, he finally decided on a local pub that has fair food, and a decent atmosphere. Why they continue to subjugate themselves to his indecisiveness, they'll never know. However, it is a means to an end and helps with eliminating further remarks from him, when they just agree and go on with their night.

They file into the restaurant and the hostess seats them in a booth and hands them each a menu. Bonnie maneuvers around Rebekah to sit between her and Kol, Elijah takes a seat on Kol's other side.

"I'm starving," Kol says dramatically.

"Hey, is that Jeremy?" Bonnie asks and points toward the entrance where a tall, dark haired boy stands alone.

"Yeah, it is," Kol lifts his hand and hollers, "Jer? Hey!"

The boy smiles and walks slowly toward them. "Hey," he says casually and then catches Rebekah's eye, "Bekah...lookin' good," he flirts.

"Thanks Jeremy," she says sweetly. "You wanna join us?"

Jeremy has been a long time patron of the comic book shop. His knowledge of all things geek do not reflect his "loader" appearance though. Jeans, t-shirts, a black leather jacket and the all encompassing aroma of marijuana lingers with him. He's cute, however, and his laidback attitude gets him laid a substantial amount more than the other guys at the table.

He flashes Rebekah a boyish grin and says, "Actually, I'm here with my sister."

"I didn't know you had a sister." Actually they didn't know much about Jeremy besides his comic book collection and his WoW character, DeathbySilas.

"Yeah, we don't see each other much, not after she moved out a few years ago. We try to have dinner together every once in awhile." He turns to the front door, "there she is," he says and points. "Katherine! Over here!"

The table stares at the door in shock, as they see Catwoman saunter toward them.

"_Katherine_ is your sister!?" Kol exclaims.

"Yeah," he says casually. "Wait, do you know her?"

"_Know_ her?" Kol oozes, "I want to _marry_ her!"

Bonnie rolls her eyes and shakes her head. _Always thinking with his penis_.

Elijah gulps, as he tries to keep his composure. She really is stunning.

"Oh God, don't tell me you know these idiots," Kat insults. "No offense, Rebekah," she says to the only 'normal' person at the table.

"It's alright, I agree...they're idiots," she laughs.

Kat's eyes glance down at Elijah who nods up at her. "Elijah," she says curtly.

Elijah clears his throat and asks, "Katherine, would you two care to join us?"

"Yeah," Jeremy says and scoots in next to Rebekah and throws an arm around her. He looks at her and waggles his eyebrows in a "hey there hotstuff" manner. She smirks and jabs him in the ribs.

Katherine stands there awkwardly. "Fine!" she says but throws a warning glare at Elijah, "But, if this ass doesn't keep his comments to himself, we're gonna have a problem."

"Katherine," Elijah suddenly stands and looks down at her. "It has come to my attention that perhaps my commentary during our last encounter may have...offended you," he says with a wave of his hand indifferently.

She stands there with her arms folded and looks at him warily before saying, "Go on."

"And that I may owe you...well," he trails off as though he can't quite put his finger on the word he needs to use. "It seems my abrasive commentary toward you...that is to say...I only meant it as..."

"I'm waaaaaiting," she sings and rocks back on her high heels.

Elijah purses his lips together, apologies have never come easy to the man who believes he is right in everything he does. But finally, he relents. "I owe you an apology," he says.

"And what apology would that be?" she toys with him and waits for the _actual_ apology.

This girl is incorrigible, what more did she expect him to say? He lets out a huff but reluctantly continues. "If my comments about your sexual prowess came across as anything other than the compliment they were intended to be then," he takes a deep breath through his nostrils and hesitates a moment longer.

"Then?" She puts her hand to her ear and leans in toward him.

_Incorrigible,_ he thinks again before offering the words he's uttered so rarely in his life, "I'm...sorry."

"There you go," she teases him. "That wasn't so hard, now was it?" She pats him on his lapel and smiles up at him.

Elijah looks down at her perfectly manicured hand; it's then he realizes that he is not completely resistant to the idea of her touching his...suit.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"You're wrong, Wolverine was not born with bone claws!"

"He was, dude, maybe that's not what they originally intended when he first appeared in the comics, but that's what he's evolved into." Jeremy counters.

"Yeah, they had to create a viable reason for his claws to have been implanted due to his rapid healing ability," Bonnie adds.

The debate has been going on for the better part of an hour now. Kol and Elijah believing that Wolverine was not born with bone claws, but the doctors implanted them during his adamantium transition, and Jeremy and Bonnie are set on the adamantium was grafted to the bones that were already there.

Kol is always surprised at how lucid Jeremy can be when he is stoned the majority of the time they talk. Although he's not sure how marijuana gives the guy so much clarity...he's still going to use it as a petty argument. "You're high."

"I am," Jeremy states matter a factly, "but I'm not wrong." Jeremy leans forward. "Wolverine: Origins, Issue two, it clearly says that he has retractable bone claws."

"Okay, let's just say you're right," Kol interjects. "Do you think the claws would've been just as strong without the adamantium? Do you think they would've even survived the treatment?" He ponders. "It seems to me like they would be more like fingernails...easily disposed of. Which in turn, would mean that the doctors would have to graft the adamantium claws on anyway."

"No!" Jeremy bellows back. "They're bone."

"This is ridiculous, the adamantium coating would have disintegrated his claws. Elijah, help me out," Kol beckons.

"Alright," Elijah says and straightens the silverware in front of him before he begins. "If Wolverine did indeed have claws before he received the adamantium procedure, than it is fair enough to say that they were more animal like than bone like...flimsy and frail. I believe Kol is right in believing that they would not have survived the transformation."

"You're wrong," a voice pipes up from the other end of the booth. "The claws are not made of keratin, like claws in the animal kingdom. They're made out of extremely dense bone. Even without their adamantium coating they can cut substances as durable as most metals, wood, and even some varieties of stone."

Silverware falls, wine is spewed and the conversation is halted as everyone turns to stare at Kat.

She looks up from her wine glass and notices the shocked expressions, "What?" she snaps at them.

"Katherine...do you read comic books?" Rebekah asks in complete shock.

She sets her glass down and rolls her eyes. "Yes, on occasion when we were kids and Jere Bear was sick or bored, I would read him a few comic books."

Kol clutches his chest and looks positively orgasmic. "Just when I thought you couldn't get any hotter..."

"It's really not a big deal," she shrugs and glances at Elijah, who is silent but his eyes are lit up like a child on Christmas morning.

"It kinda is," Kol laughs.

"No, it really isn't. Can we change the subject now?"

"Oh my God, Katherine," Kol throws both hands on the table, "You're a closet nerd!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

_Unbelievable!_

_What a lying, stupid piece of shit! _

_How do I always end up dating these losers? _

Well, she can at least say this for herself, she wasn't completely sideswiped by the bastard. She knew there was something fishy about him. Too perfect! They always are at the beginning. At least this time she had enough common sense to know it was coming.

Caroline is stomping down the street, her hand still stinging from the slap she gave Tyler. What an idiot. It's probably a good idea to _not_ take your date to a restaurant in the town you live in...if you have a _fucking wife_!

_Seriously?!_

She's never been more embarrassed than she was tonight. Sitting down to enjoy another nice meal just to have some hot-headed brunette with a bitchy face come screaming into the restaurant. Just the memory of it makes her wish she could go back to Tyler and give him a matching slap across the other cheek.

She thought about calling Kat for a ride back to her car, but the restaurant isn't too far from her shop and she isn't sure she's ready for Kat's opinions so fresh after the incident. So instead, she takes time to cool down with a brisk walk on the quiet streets.

She rounds the corner to Main street, ready to get in her car and get home. If this night doesn't call for a pint of Ben & Jerry's than she doesn't know what does. However, before she reaches her car she notices that the light in Klaus' shop is still on.

_That's strange?_ she thinks. It's well after 10pm, there's no reason why their shop should still be open. She walks over to the window and peers in just as Klaus is coming out from his office. He doesn't notice her at first and so she takes a moment to admire him from afar.

He's wearing another superhero t-shirt and the same faded jeans that she's grown accustomed to seeing him in. She admires how the shirt clings nicely to his fit body and his pants rest low on his hips. He stands at the counter and removes his glasses, running his hand down his face and stretches his arms over his head and yawns. The shirt rises just enough that she can see a bit of torso; lean and toned and...well...delicious, if she can use that word. She sighs, and her shoulders slump. If only he would have just asked her out before Tyler...

She's pining...she admits it. He's just so handsome and sweet and everything that that devil Tyler isn't.

She smiles before tapping gently on the door, it's better to have him think she just got there rather than have him turn to see her staring. He squints his eyes and looks over at her, clearly not able to see properly without his spectacles. His face lights up when he finally recognizes her and puts his glasses back on before taking three large steps to open the door.

"Caroline," he says with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw the light on..." she pauses. "I was just checking to see if everything was alright in here." It is a ridiculous excuse, but the first that came to mind so she just went with it.

"Oh," he looks around as though to make sure himself. The shop is still empty, nothing to see here. "Yep, everything's fine. Just me and the comic books."

_Just me and the comic books? _he mocks himself, _try a little harder not to look like a complete nerd, would you Klaus!?_

"Oh, okay," she pauses. "Well...I should get home...I guess," she bites her bottom lip and takes a few steps back. "I'll see you later."

He hesitates for a moment, still processing why she's there. "Caroline?" he stops her, not wanting her to leave so soon.

"Yes?" she says with relief. She's not ready to leave so soon either.

"How..." he begins, "how was your date?"

_What? You don't care about fucking Tyler and his stupid motorcycle._

"It was-" she isn't sure what to tell him but decides on the truth. "It was awful!"

He wants to smile. He wants to grab her and kiss her and thank the gods that he hasn't missed his chance. Instead, he swallows and presses his lips together. He isn't sure if she's okay with this or completely devastated. "I'm sorry," he tells her.

"For what?"

For not asking you out. For not acting on every one of Tony Stark's prompts. For introducing them. The list goes on.

"He was an asshole. They tend to gravitate toward me," she muses.

Klaus ponders momentarily on what the bastard could have said or done to her to make her feel this way. He doesn't understand how anyone could hurt or upset the beautiful girl in front of him. "I still feel like this is my fault."

"It isn't."

"Well regardless...I hope you know that, if I would have known what Tyler was up to I...I wouldn't have let him hurt you."

She smiles warmly and sighs, "It's not your fault, Klaus. I just have a bad habit of picking the wrong guy." She takes a step toward him and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and peers up at him. "I just can't seem to find a nice guy."

_You! She's talking about you!_

He adjusts his glasses and looks away from her gaze.

_This is your chance, you idiot,_ he screams at himself.

Instead of heeding his own advice, he hesitates too long. It's enough for her to back away and once again the moment is ruined by his own self-consciousness. She lowers her head and takes another step back. "Well, I guess I should head home."

"Yeah."

"Okay then." Caroline turns around, positively riddled with embarrassment. That's two times tonight that she has left a situation feeling rejected and horrible about herself.

Klaus watches her leave and starts back into his shop, when he stops and turns back toward her. Is this how it's going to be then? Is he so unsure of what's going on between them that he's going to let her walk away for the umpteenth time? She's into him, he knows it, just take a chance.

_Fuck it!_

He races from the shop and to her side and grabs her by the elbow, spinning her around. She looks down at his hand on her and back up at him just in time to feel his lips press against her own.

The shy and quiet comic book shop owner is nowhere to be found, as his mouth devours hers. Her head is spinning, and she sinks deeper into the kiss, parting her lips and inviting his tongue to meet hers.

The question of what it would be like to hold her, to taste her, to completely lose control in her kiss is finally answered as they mingle together. He wraps his arm around her waist and runs his other through her hair, pulling her closer so their bodies fit perfectly.

Caroline moans into his mouth, as welcomed vibrations rumble through her body. She could get used to being kissed like this. Aggressive but soft as well, as he kisses her fiercely and holds her tightly, but uses his tongue to sweep gently across her lips.

Her eyes remain shut as he finally pulls away. He brings his mouth to hers one more time for a single peck. Her eyes flutter open to see him smiling down at her, and she can't help the bubble of laughter that flows out of her.

"About time, Superman!" she teases.

* * *

**WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO! Am I the only one that wanted this to happen when Klaus touched Caroline's elbow in the last episode? I did...so I wrote it. Ha. **

**I am available for all your questions on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels. **

**Let me know what you thought! **

**REVIEWS ARE LIKE THE LANTERN TO MY RING! THE SUN TO MY SUPERMAN! They regenerate me quickly and help me update! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi guys! Hi! First of all, your reviews blew my mind. Are you kidding me, they were just so great and supportive and just, guh. Love you all! **

**Okay, so excited for this chapter, it was so fun to write. Thank you to all my beautiful betas; Alex, Miranda, Becky and my Minion. You guys are the best! Seriously! **

**And away we go...**

* * *

"And then...he kissed me!"

"What?!" Kat nearly fell out of her stool. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Caroline says with a grin and then sinks back into the reverie she's been living in for the past 18 hours.

After parting ways with Klaus last night, her lips swollen and her heart full, she hasn't thought of anything else. Their mouths sinking deeper into each other, his hands running along the curves of her body, her fingers laced in the curls at the nape of his neck - these were the last thoughts she had before drifting off into the best night sleep she's had in weeks.

"Wow," Kat says in complete shock. "I gotta say, I didn't think Klaus had it in him."

"Oh, he's got it in him!"

"So, when's he gonna get it in you?"

"Oh my God, Kat."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Why are you so worried about what you're wearing?" Kol asks and continues to reorganize the Spidermans on the floor in front of him.

"No particular reason," Klaus answers. He steps in front of the makeshift mirror, which is actually a glass case with collectibles against the wall. He straightens out his tee shirt and checks his pants one more time to be certain they're okay. This is the third outfit that he's tried on; all of them similar, just a different comic book hero splattered on the front of his shirt. He practically lives at the shop, so in turn, a large amount of his personal belongings are here as well.

"No particular reason?" Elijah questions behind the cash register. "I thought it was because you have a date with Caroline this evening?"

"WHAT?!" Kol exclaims. He tosses the stack of comics to the side and rushes over to Klaus. "How in the world did _you_ get a date with her?" He points an accusatory finger at him.

"None of your busine-" Klaus begins.

"He kissed her."

"ELIJAH!" Klaus growls and snaps his head at his brother.

Kol's eyes grow as big as an Anime character's; wide, quivering and in awe of the news he just heard. A slight satisfied smirk begins to rise in the corner of Klaus' mouth. The way Kol is looking at him with admiration, you would think that he is holding the Holy Grail, or the map to the Fountain of Youth. Or better yet, some secret formula that Bruce Banner has concocted in his laboratory that helps and aids nerds in wooing pretty girls. He can tell you this much, if he was in possession of such a potion, it most definitely would have come with a label...

WARNING: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF KOL MIKAELSON

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"So how did it happen?" Kat is completely intrigued by this turn of events. The longing looks and puppy dog eyes Klaus and Caroline have been exchanging since they met, have not gone completely unnoticed by her. In fact, you couldn't help but notice when you were in their presence. Star-crossed lovers, blah-blah-blah.

"I'm still not sure," Caroline giggles. "One minute I was walking away, thinking that it was hopeless with him, and the next..." she trails off reminiscing about the initial shock of his lips pressed against hers and her fingers instinctively went to touch her bottom lip.

"And next he was just planting one on you?"

"Yeah," she says dreamily.

Kat shifts in the stool behind the cash register and crosses her legs. She's never seen her friend look so ridiculous. She's been out with plenty of guys, dated the rich and the famous, but Caroline has never seemed as love struck as she does now.

"So, what now?"

"Hmm?" she asks, snapping out of her daydream.

"What happens now?" Kat asks again.

"Oh," she smiles. "He's taking me out tonight."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Oh man, I can't believe you actually did it? What was it like?"

"I'm not going to go into detail about it with you, Kol." Klaus shoots his little brother an annoyed eye roll. He looks in the glass case again. He's changed into a pair of khakis but kept the faded X-Men shirt on.

"Ah, come on man, tell me," Kol begs for the details. "Was she all teeth and claws? Did she leave you begging for more?"

He should've gone home to get ready, but for some reason Klaus thought it would be more efficient to just change at the shop. He should've known Kol would be a complete pain in the arse. He ignores the onslaught of questions and looks to Elijah for guidance.

"What about this one?" Klaus asks him and spreads his arms out in front of Elijah.

"Well, my first instinct is to tell you that any number of Marvel shirts you put on is a far better choice than the DC collection that you own," Elijah muses.

"Not really the advice I'm looking for Elijah," Klaus growls.

"Then I assume you would like to know if what you've selected is appropriate for your date with Caroline tonight?"

"That would be helpful."

"Perhaps you should try something other than a tee shirt."

Klaus looks down at Wolverine and then back up at Elijah. "Like what?"

Elijah tilts his head and places a hand under his chin and rubs it in contemplation. Klaus is not shocked at all when the words come spilling out of Elijah's mouth. "A suit?" he says.

"I'm not wearing a bloody suit, Elijah."

"It doesn't matter what you wear," Kol interjects. "You can't cover up your nerd."

"If you don't shut the hell up, Kol. I'm going to stab you with this Game of Thrones dagger and throw you in a coffin."

"Oh so touchy, brother."

Klaus is about to follow through with his promise when the front door chimes and Rebekah and Bonnie drift in.

"Hey Bekah, did you know Klaus has a date with Caroline tonight?" Kol yells over at her and quickly dodges behind a row of comics before Klaus can get his hands on him.

Rebekah looks Klaus up and down. "You're not wearing _that_ are you?"

Klaus lets out an exasperated grumble and turns to walk back to his office to try again.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Caroline looks at the clock and butterflies start to form in her stomach. It's closing time which means he should be here in a bit to pick her up.

They haven't seen each other since last night. After her little "About time" comment, he just laughed and kissed her again. Actually that's all they did for the next 20 minutes. All she wanted to do was drag him into the backseat of her car and have her way with him. Her emotions and physical demand were heightened by the way he smelled and by his hands gliding up and down her skin. Eventually he had her pushed up against the hood of her car, his body fitting nicely between her legs.

It wasn't until they heard the grumbling of someone behind them, that they finally came up for air. A police officer stood with his arms crossed and stared at them. It seemed their little display of affection was a bit too hot and heavy for the public eye.

When the cop walked away the two of them laughed and that's when he asked her out. She agreed, and with a single peck on the lips, he left back to his store with promises of seeing her tomorrow.

Her lower regions began to ache with the memory, and Kat was all too eager to pick up on it.

"Klausy doing naughty things in your mind right now?" she smirks.

"As a matter of fact...yes," she nods and Kat laughs at her boldness.

"Caroline, you saucy little minx."

Caroline shrugs and winks at her from over her shoulder and walks to the front door to turn the sign to 'Closed'. She flips back around and asks, "Okay, so do you think what I'm wearing is okay?"

"On the outside, perhaps," she purses her lips and nods, "but what's going on underneath?"

"Katherine," she says with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm just saying. What would it look like if the owner of a french lingerie boutique didn't showcase her own product?" Kat picks up a sheer pair of panties and swings them on her finger in front of her.

As much as she hates to admit it, Kat is right. It's not like she is expecting them to just take off from where they ended things last night but...just in case. She grabs the panties and the matching bra and races to the nearest dressing room.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Klaus you can't go on a date looking like you do every day," Bekah scolds him. "Haven't you got something a little less...nerdish?"

"Hey! I'll have you know I have been very successful with women in this shirt," he tells her.

"Yes, and did any of those women look like Caroline?"

Klaus opens his mouth to respond but quickly closes it when he has no rebuttal. Instead he shoots a nasty glare at his obnoxious and correct sister. None of the women he's dated in the past were anything like Caroline. Not that they were ugly or anything, they just didn't have Caroline's...spark. Or body...or legs...or fit as comfortably as Caroline did last night, wrapped around his waist. No Caroline is something new, therefore, she deserves a new Klaus.

"What do you propose?" he asks Bekah.

She leans in and looks at him and then peers over at their older brother. Elijah notices and greets her stare with a "What?"

She turns back to Klaus and smiles, "I have an idea. But first, do you actually _own_ a pair of slacks?"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Caroline busies herself in the dressing room, making sure to have everything put together the best she can. She dabs on a bit more makeup, darkening her eyes and lips before taking her hair out of her high pony and letting her curls cascade down around her shoulders.

She hears the front door chime and hollers at Kat, "Is it Klaus?" Her heart skips a beat.

"No, I don't think so, I'll let you know." They're not open anymore so Caroline hopes that Kat, if it isn't Klaus, is sympathetic toward the lingering guest and promises to be open again tomorrow. She goes back to her mirror and continues to primp.

Katherine walks toward the front of the store to tell off the obviously blind patron. The door clearly says 'Closed'. She freezes in her step when she sees a shell shocked Elijah step in.

"Katherine," his voice rings through the empty store.

"Well," she slinks forward. "Hello there, Elijah. Can I help you find something?" she feigns innocence and watches as he peers around the room nervously, but unlike his brothers can retain his dignity.

This is the first time Elijah has stepped foot in the little shop next door. He now sees why his insatiable brother has not been able to stay away. "Yes, you may," he nods at her and takes a step toward her. "Would you care to accompany me to dinner?"

"I don't know," she moves even closer. "What did you have in mind?"

"Dinner," he states again.

"Obviously, Elijah," she rolls her eyes. "What makes you think that I want to have dinner with you?" She crosses her arms and tilts her head.

"There has been much discussion about Klaus and Caroline's date," he nods toward their shop, "that I thought it might be nice to have an evening out with you as well."

She uncrosses her arms and lingers around the table of panties, looking down at them and lightly fingering the satin. "Are we going to talk about what happened last night?" She doesn't move but only glances up at him for his response.

"If you'd like," he nods.

She's quickly realizing that Elijah, although thorough in his assessments of others, does not spend much time explaining himself in depth. "Are you expecting the night to end the same way?"

"If you'd like," he says again.

A delicate smirk begins to play on the corners of her mouth. As much as she tries to deny it, the guy's gotten under her skin. "Alright," she finally tells him.

"Excellent."

"Let me just let Caroline know I'm leaving," she says but turns back to him. "Elijah?"

"Yes?"

"What the hell are you wearing?"

He inhales sharply and looks off in the distance, "I don't want to talk about it. However, I would like to stop at my place and change before we go out."

"Or we could just stay there," she says suggestively.

"If you'd like."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Klaus takes a deep breath and looks down at his attire. Poor Elijah was practically accosted out of his clothing, as Bekah stripped him from his shirt and tie. He left the shop shortly after, wearing only his slacks and Klaus' Wolverine t-shirt underneath his suit jacket. No doubt he is racing home to discard of the shirt for another dress shirt.

The jacket and slacks would have been too large on him to complete the outfit, but the crisp white shirt didn't look half bad after the sleeves were rolled up. He feels like an idiot, but Rebekah insisted that he didn't look like one. She used the words " very dashing" and he only hoped that she was right.

He knocks on the door before entering Caroline's shop. The shop is empty, no Katherine in sight. He's actually relieved. He is nervous enough as it is, he didn't need Katherine's honesty to go with it.

"Caroline?" he calls out.

"Hey, Klaus," he hears her call out from the back. "I'll be right up."

"Alright," he calls back. He doesn't move from the front door. He glances around nervously, still feeling like he's peering at all of Caroline's intimates. His eyes land on a lacy little number that's displayed amongst the panty table. He swallows a lump in his throat, thinking about what Caroline would look like in something like that.

He's not expecting things to go exactly like last night, although...he wouldn't oppose.

"Hey," he hears her say and glances up.

This is the part in the movie where the strings begin to swell and the romantic music sets in.

He starts at her feet; a pair of strappy heels that link around her ankles start the show before his gaze moves up her body. Flashes of their first encounter with her in her short shorts and black heels come to his mind, but they were nothing compared to the image before him now. Perhaps it's the dress; a pale blue, strapless delight that hugs her curves, elongates her legs and causes his fingers to itch in need to reach out and grab hold of her.

"Hi," she says again. Her heart is pounding out of her chest as she takes him in as well. He's wearing a pair of fitted black slacks, a white button up shirt rolled up to his forearms and a sleek dark blue tie. "You look great," she compliments.

"You're stunning," he returns.

She looks down at her attire and back up at him. "Thanks," she says shyly. "Let me just grab my purse and coat and we can go."

She walks to the counter to retrieve her items and when she turns back to him he somehow has managed to sneak up on her. He peers down at her before cupping her cheek and tucking her hair behind her ear. "Really, Caroline, you look breathtaking."

"Thank-" she starts to tell him again when her mouth is captured by his.

Soft and sensual, his lips lightly graze against hers. Her body begins to tingle and her knees start to buckle as he masterfully glides his tongue forward to part her lips. They spend a moment longer in the embrace before he pulls away and smiles. "Should we get going?"

She nods and bites her bottom lip.

_Or we can just stay here, _she says to herself.

* * *

**I'm with you Caroline. Maybe you should just stay there. I mean, come on...he's dressed up all fancy for you. As my dear friend Alex would say, "Forearm porn gets me every time!" Bahahaha!**

**Anyhoo, I can't say enough about how much I adore your reviews! They mean so much! So take a minute, absorb the forearm porn, Kalijahness, Klaroline goodness and send me a little review on what you thought!**

**Until next time...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Who likes smut and fluff?! I DO! I DO! Haha. Hope you do too, cause that's pretty much what you're up for in this chapter. **

**Thank you to my lovely ladies: livingdeadblondegirl, klarolineepiclove, and of course a-little-blonde-distraction. You three really are the fuel behind my updates. Your encouragements mean the world to me. **

**So, this is where the story starts to take a smutty turn. Yay! **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

"So how do you think Klaus' date is going?"

"He's failing...miserably," Kol says bitterly while flipping through a new shipment of comics and not glancing up.

"Wow, someone's jealous," Bonnie teases.

"I'm not jealous, Bon," he looks up at her now in order to make his point. "I just think Caroline and I are better suited for each other, that's all."

Bonnie isn't even trying to hide her laughter at this statement. She is in fits with her head thrown back, her shoulders shaking, and tears beginning to form in her eyes. When she catches Kol's stoic glare, she throws both hands up to her mouth to suppress the laughter. "I'm sorry," she offers but she's not really.

The idea of Klaus and Caroline isn't much of a stretch. Klaus is a good-looking guy with just enough shyness mixed with nerdish charm and killer dimples to make him an amazing catch. Kol on the other hand...well...he's unique in his own way. He's definitely cute with his boyish grin, and not many people know this, but he's actually quite sweet when he wants to be. Just the other day he brought her one of those Caramel Mocha Frappuccino things from Starbucks for no reason other than the color of it and its sweetness reminded him of her. Yeah, he can be a charmer...but only when he doesn't realize he's being one.

"I don't know what's so funny, Bonnie. I had our kids' names picked out and everything!" he says and continues, "we were going to live in a large Penthouse in the city. She would of course be a lingerie model and I would be a wealthy, young tycoon by day and the city's crime fighting vigilante by night."

"So...Batman."

"Yeah...obviously" he says with complete seriousness. They stare at each other in a standoff, one daring the other to break. It's Bonnie who does first when she shakes her head and starts to laugh again before Kol finally joins in.

"What's so funny?" Rebekah says as she approaches them.

"Your brother," Bonnie laughs.

"Like...on purpose?" Bekah snickers.

"Yes on purpose," he says indignantly. "Some people actually appreciate a guy with wit just as much as their good looks," he winks at Bonnie and nudges her with his elbow.

She rolls her eyes with a smirk and nudges him back. "Let me know when you find him."

Rebekah watches Bonnie and Kol as they continue to tease and taunt one another. Why can't Kol get his head out of his ass? He is so wrapped up in this idea of what a woman should look like that he's completely missing out on what's right in front of him. Okay, she's a little...earthy, with her overalls and constant smell of sage and patchouli, but what she lacks in fashion she makes up for in so many other amazing qualities.

"I think we're about done here," Bonnie says and puts the last of the comics on the shelf. "Bekah, you wanna grab a bite with us?"

"Sure, is Elijah coming too?" she looks around the shop for him.

"No, he took off after you stole his shirt and tie," Kol says with annoyance. "Wanka' left Bonnie and I with all the stock and clean up."

"That's weird, did you try and call him?"

Kol shrugs, "What for? He probably got home and decided to stay home." Kol walks around the front counter to grab his coat. He grabs Bonnie's too and offers it to her. "You girls ready?"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Really, it's okay, Klaus," Caroline says as they exit the restaurant.

"No...it's not."

He doesn't want to look at her, so he uses his index finger again to adjust his glasses and then looks at the ground. His embarrassment level is off the charts. When Caroline suggested fondue, he figured in this day and age, that any establishment would offer dairy free selections. After they were seated, and Klaus perused the menu, he quickly realized that there were no options to accommodate his deficiency.

You would think that a grown man that was lactose intolerant would be comfortable with his predicament by now, but being out with someone as spectacular as Caroline has caused Klaus' insecurities to come rushing back. Intestinal issues have only caused him misery and pain, like the time he finally scored a date with Lucy Collins in their final year of secondary school, only to have the evening ruined by poor judgement and a plate of nachos. Ever since that nightmare he has vowed to never subject himself to that sort of humiliation again.

"So, you can't eat cheese," Caroline shrugs. "Seriously, it's not the end of the world." She steps forward and links her arm with his. "Let's go for a walk and see what else we can find."

"Oh God," he says and throws his head back to stare at the sky, hoping that Scotty would 'beam him up' and far away from this embarrassment.

"If it makes you feel any better I'm allergic to latex," she offers without thinking.

He drops his head and looks down at her stunned. There are very few items that one thinks of when the word latex comes up and in that moment Caroline has sufficiently distracted him with thoughts of something else entirely.

She clears her throat and keeps walking. No need to make matters worse by getting embarrassed with her own confession, so instead she plays into it. "You don't _even_ wanna know how I figured that out."

Klaus bursts into laughter and she giggles with him, and suddenly she's eased his mind and they're back on an even playing field.

They continue to walk down the street and toward the river. Familiar bright lights illuminate the sky from behind the buildings in front of them and Caroline gets an idea. "Hey Klaus?"

"Yes?"

"How do you feel about hot dogs and cotton candy?"

He chuckles before saying, "All part of a well balanced diet, I suppose."

Caroline grabs his hand and pulls him forward. "Great!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

They scarf down their dogs and sip on their sodas, as kids rush by them with sticky fingers and tickets in hand. Lights are blinking and the booths are packed with people attempting to win the biggest prizes. The ferris wheel is filled with happy couples as it goes around and up, bringing them toward the heavens and back down again.

"I love carnivals," Caroline says.

Klaus watches the head-turning blonde, dressed to kill in her tiny dress and high heels, stuff the remaining bit of hotdog in her mouth. He smirks down at her and shakes his head.

"Whmmat?" she asks with her cheeks full of the over processed carny food.

"Nothing, just didn't think I would find your carnivorous appetite so endearing," he teases. He's really thinking of her shoving something else in her mouth but didn't think this was the appropriate time to bring that up.

She slaps his arm playfully and laughs, "What? It was good." When she turns away she catches sight of a familiar game and cries out before rushing forward, "Oh, I love the ring toss!"

Klaus follows the bobbing blonde head to the nearby booth. This is the only part of the carnival that Klaus was dreading. What he's come to understand is this is the opportunity for him to step up as the man and win the little gal a prize. The only problem is that any gaming skills he possesses have more to do with a mouse and a keyboard than the arduous task of getting a simple ring around the neck of a bottle.

Caroline gazes up at the prizes and back at Klaus before linking her arm through his and snuggling up close to him. Her vanilla aroma overcomes his senses and he quickly forgets his nerves, instead he musters up enough male bravado to compensate for his lack of confidence. "Well...shall we try and win you a prize?"

She beams up at him and claps her hands, nodding her head vigorously.

_Here goes nothin'._

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Thirty minutes and forty dollars later, Caroline is the proud owner of an overstuffed white pony with a magenta mane and sparkly hooves. He can't even look at the blasted thing. After many failed attempts at winning it for her, it took her one try to get six rings around six bottles and win it for herself. The plush toy is so large that she can barely wrap her arms around it while they wait in line for the ferris wheel.

"I told you, Klaus, my dad used to take me to carnivals all the time growing up. I got really good at the ring toss."

As much as Caroline tries to reassure him, and do her best to affirm his masculinity, he can't help but think the cheese would've been a far better way to end their date. A cotton candy vendor is across the way and so Klaus takes advantage to step away and regain his composure. "I'm gonna grab some cotton candy. Do you want some?" he asks.

"I can just share yours," she says tenderly and nods her head.

Caroline watches Klaus leave and sighs deeply. She knew it wasn't a good idea to take a turn at the booth after so many of his own attempts, but he insisted. She's never been one to back down from a challenge, no matter if it means showing up the guy who is clearly trying to impress her. She looks down at the stuffed animal and shakes her head, berating herself for being so callous. If only there were a way to make it up to him; to give him back some of the confidence that he so clearly is lacking tonight.

Klaus walks back to her, a look of defeat etched in his brow as he reaches forward to offer her some of the treat. She starts for the cone of puffy pink sugar when she notices the bit still lingering on his finger. When a guy is upset there are two very clear options. You can ignore him and go about your day or you can distract him.

Caroline chooses distraction...

Instead of grabbing hold of the candy, she grabs hold of his hand and slowly brings his finger to her lips. Klaus is shocked at first until the first tingle rushes through him as her lips lightly graze it. He's even more shocked when he feels her tongue dart out and begin to trace and tease the tip. His pants grow a bit tight and he swallows hard when she doesn't take her gaze from him and in one excruciatingly long moment she completely encompasses his finger into her mouth. As if this hasn't done him in enough, she puckers her full lips and sucks roughly and draws her mouth, lips, and teeth up the entire length.

"Mmm, that's yummy," she purrs and licks her lips.

Klaus is completely stunned by this turn of events, but even the stuffed monstrosity can't put a damper on the pressure building in his pants. He grabs the back of her head and pulls her forward, kissing her with such force that she gasps before relinquishing her hold on the pony and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her little stunt has refueled his passion and confidence and she is eager to reciprocate with delighted moans and fervent kisses.

Distraction accomplished.

He keeps his hold on her but pulls back just enough to show her the fire in his eyes. He leans into her ear and a lusty current travels down her neck when he whispers, "You wanna get outta here?"

"My place or yours?"

"How about somewhere a little closer?"

She is about to ask what he has in mind, when she follows his gaze and he grabs hold of her hand, whipping her in the direction of a nearby building. They reach the front step and he yanks out his wallet and shoves a wad of cash into the attendants hand.

"This ride is closed, Mate," he says to the pimply adolescent. "You probably shouldn't let anyone else in after us."

The boy looks at the cash and then back at Klaus before taking in the gorgeous blonde next to him. Understanding travels between the two of them as Klaus' intentions finally dawn on the boy and he nods before sweeping his arm to the side to give them private access to the Hall of Mirrors.

Klaus' confidence is erupting out of him and his take control attitude is causing a hungry heat to spread between Caroline's legs. Who knew a little show and tell with his finger would spur on such animalistic behavior? He pulls her forward and inside, spinning her around and pressing her up against the closest wall before crashing his lips to hers once more.

His hands slide up and down her body and he lets out a low growl before gripping her hips and lifting her up off the ground. Her legs wrap around his waist, the two of them once again fitting perfectly together, and she lets out an inviting moan when he begins to suck and nip at her neck. They stumble further into the reflective depths until they find a room completely covered in mirrors.

Her head is swimming and her adrenaline is pumping, as he pushes her back up against a mirror. The tawdry adventure that is taking place is unlike any she's ever had. She's had sex in public spaces before, but it was always public but semi-private, like a bathroom stall (not one of her finer moments) or the backseat of a car (prom night). Never with the unknown of where they were or if they were truly alone.

His hands travel under her dress and caress her sensitive skin before he lowers her to the ground enough for her to stabilize herself on one foot. He plunges his mouth and tongue to her neck and begins to dance his fingers toward the inside of her thigh. A gentle, "Yes," escapes her lips as she runs her hands through his hair and he continues to trace a finger near the elastic of her panties. Ravenous and in pursuit of her body he shimmies his fingers underneath the delicate fabric which causes her to drip even more.

She is lost in the reflections around her as she watches their bodies from every angle. His strong back arched over her, her hands gripped tightly in the curls at his neck, and the way his forearm flexes as it grips and skims the side of her body. She lets out a hitched breath when she feels him caress the outside of her core and waits in expectancy for him to dive his finger deep inside of her. She wants to watch herself orgasm; she wants to enjoy seeing how this surprising, sensitive, shy and nerd-of-a-man makes her come harder than any man she's ever been with.

As she waits for him to take the plunge...literally...her body is frozen in place when she sees the reflection of someone other than Klaus and herself. A woman is standing at the entrance of the room with her mouth dropped open and her hand over the eyes of her young son.

"Klaus?" She taps his shoulder and scurries to put her other foot back on the ground and straighten her dress.

"What?" he growls at the intrusion.

"Stop. Stop...STOP!" she finally shouts and points in the direction of their intruder.

Klaus whips his head around to see the woman tsking them and shaking her head. "This is a family establishment!" she bellows at them.

Klaus and Caroline look at each other and laugh before he grabs her hand and pulls her from the room. They continue to kiss and laugh as they exit the building and away from the carnival. He stops her just outside the entrance and turns her around to give her a gentle kiss. His grip is strong but his mouth is soft, as their tongues engage with each other once more.

"Should we try a more intimate location this time?" Caroline asks. "We can go to my place."

He nods and pulls her hand to his lips for a chaste peck, peering up at her through those dark thick frames. "Lead the way."

* * *

**Why is it so fun to cockblock these two? LOL. **

**Sorry...not sorry. I've got really good stuff planned for the next chapter, I had to end it here. **

**What did you think? Are we happy with the Alpha coming out in Klaus? Did you think they were headed for a disaster of a date? Let me know how you liked it!You can tell me here or find me on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels.  
**

**Once again, reviews fuel me like Anger does the Hulk! Except I don't turn all green and monster like and rip a bunch of pants.  
**

**Thanks for reading! See you next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Oh. My. God. I don't know what happened. I went to write a sex scene and I ended up writing a SEX SCENE! Good lord! **

**Thank you Alex, Miranda, Becky and My Kate! You guys are the best! **

**Needless to say this chapter has nothing to do with the plot. You don't even have to read it to know what's happening in the story. It's just good old fashion SMUT! SMUT! SMUT! **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

The ride over to Caroline's is unbearable as her hand travels up and down his thigh. He's doing his best to concentrate on the road but can't help his eyes rolling back into his head when her fingers lightly graze the bulge building underneath the thin material of his slacks. He appreciates the empty street when he swerves into the other lane after her hand stops teasing and grabs hold of him completely.

"Caroline," he growls.

"What?" she says innocently and begins to tug at his belt. "Just slow down a little and enjoy."

He takes her advice and slows the car, realizing that their evening in her apartment is going to begin sooner than her bedroom. His fists grab the steering wheel tightly when he feels her hand slide inside his pants and relinquish his erection from its captivity only to be grasped by her hand.

Caroline's eyes widen when she feels his length and gives him a sly smirk.

_Oh. My. God. JACKPOT!_

She's not a connoisseur of comic book heros, but she would like to think that Klaus would put any number of them to shame. She takes her time and scoots closer to him, kissing his neck and earlobe while she begins to slowly pump.

His knuckles grow white and he loosens his grip with one hand to adjust his glasses and wipe his brow. He grits his teeth as her thumb gently strokes his tip and her fingers masterfully continue to dance along his shaft. His hand slams back to the wheel and holds on for dear life as her grip tightens, then loosens, tightens then loosens, as her pumping becomes harder and faster. He steadies his breathing, praying to Thor for godlike strength and stamina.

"This is it," she whispers and points to her apartment building. "Park."

The tires come to a screeching halt as Klaus turns into the first spot he sees. He grumbles a little when her hand leaves him and regretfully covers himself back up. He jumps from the car and he calls upon the mighty speed of The Flash and races to the other side. He opens the door for her and Caroline steps out and pushes her body up against him, kissing him roughly and kicking the door shut behind her.

The way up to her apartment is a blur as they stumble and kiss up the stairs and down the hall. Her lips leave his regretfully to retrieve her keys and she fumbles with the lock to get the door open when he wraps his arms around her and starts to pepper kisses on the back of her neck. She leans back into him; his breath hot and his lips are soft as they skim across her skin. His fingers trace the hem of her dress, lightly caressing her thighs as she leans further back feeling his cock press firmly against her.

Her eyes glaze over and she darts her tongue out and drags the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth. She turns around to face him and reaches for the door handle behind her with one hand and his tie with the other. In one single motion she pushes the door open and yanks him toward her and past the threshold of her apartment.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Their shoes, his tie, her jacket, his shirt and slacks are scattered about the entryway leaving a trail toward the inevitable sounds of heavy breathing and moaning in the bedroom.

They are standing at the foot of the bed, him completely bare except for his boxers and black dress socks and her in nothing but her slinky blue dress. Her dress is hitched up over her hips and his hand is underneath her, grasping her ass and holding her leg in place as it wraps around his waist. His other hand pushes into her back, forcing her to be flush against his bare chest. Their lips separate with a pop when her mouth leaves his and she slowly lowers her leg to the floor.

He reaches out for her but she presses a hand to his chest, taking a step back from him so she scan his near naked form. His body is everything she thought it would be and more with a long torso, broad shoulders and a subtle six pack. Not too muscly but nowhere near too skinny; he's...perfect.

She notices the unique emblem tattooed across his heart, not to mention all the other ink scattered over his shoulder and down his sides, and she reminds herself to ask him about them later. Her eyes move down and she raises an eyebrow when she sees his erection playing peek-a-boo; his head peering out of the slit in the front of his boxers. She licks her lips and a tingle rushes to her nether regions remembering how big and hard he felt in her hands. Her eyes keep traveling and she admires how narrow his hips are and his long, thick legs but when she reaches his feet she snickers. "I like your socks," she teases and bites her thumb and smirks in a playful manner.

He looks down at his feet; his big toe playing peek-a-boo too, but not in the sexy kind of way but more like The Littlest Hobo kind of way. Obviously he's overdue for some new socks. He bends over to remove them, tosses them to the side and reaches up to remove his glasses. "I should probably take these off too," he realizes.

Caroline hurries forward to halt his movement and brings his hand back down to his side. She steps closer and peers up at him through batted lashes. "Now, how are you supposed to see what I have in store for you if you don't have your glasses on?"

Caroline pushes Klaus back until his legs hit the edge of the bed, forcing him to sit down. He peers up at her and swallows when he watches her bring one hand up to her shoulder and loop her finger through the strap of her dress. She slowly rolls it down her arm and past her elbow freeing her right side before mirroring the motion on her left. She drags her thumbs along the top of her dress and grabs the fabric to shimmy it down past her breasts, her flat stomach, and curvy hips until it drops to the floor and she scoots it away with her foot.

He's held her flesh in his hands, he's traced her skin with his tongue and teeth, but it still didn't prepare him for the sight before him now.

He can hardly tell where her lingerie ends and her skin starts, as the two appear as one. The matching set of sheer white panties and bra give off a slight sheen which is the only indicator that there is anything there at all. He can see her nipples through the fabric, erect and puckering against it, and the very thin string that is holding up the small triangle of see-through cloth below her waist. Both pieces are accented with small satin bows at the bottom of the straps on her bra and at the corners of the triangle on her panties. He imagines the delicate touch is more for the woman than the man, since his interest is geared more toward what's lying underneath.

She slowly sashays toward him and his eyes are fixed on the way her body moves. His hands instinctively reach out to grab hold of her and she obliges, pushing her hips forward until his grip is firmly in place.

"What do you think?" she asks and places both hands on his shoulder and linking her fingers behind his neck.

What does he think? He thinks she's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. He thinks that her body and beauty rival Susan Storm, Emma Frost and Wonder Woman combined. He thinks that no artist or author could ever come close to describing or drawing the flawless woman before him.

"I think you're...spectacular."

Caroline smiles and unlinks her fingers to cup his face. She leans down and kisses him and places her hands over his, guiding them up her waist and back down again. He continues exploring her body and when she moves forward to straddle him he darts his tongue out to caress the valley between her breast. She situates herself on his lap and her head rolls back as her eyes gently shut. His tongue and lips move across her chest and she quivers when his teeth begin to nip at her nipple through the fabric.

Klaus pushes her back slightly, dragging his hands down the front of her and bringing his fingers up to her breasts. He rolls the thin fabric down, tucking it underneath and exposing her to him completely. He cups her breasts in his hand and massages, feeling her nipples grow harder as his thumbs and tongue alternate between them. She lets out a low hum at the feeling and grinds her hips, pressing her wet center against him.

Caroline reaches behind her and unclasps her bra removing it completely before dropping the tiny contraption to the floor. She pushes on his chest to scoot him back and leans forward until Klaus is sinking into the mattress behind him. He grabs the back of her head, lacing his fingers through her hair and bringing her in for a hot and forceful kiss.

She leaves his mouth with a simper and kisses down his neck and chest, licking the peculiar tattoo over his heart and skimming her fingers down his torso. She looks up at him as she continues further down, her kisses light and gentle, the fire in her eyes is anything but. She reaches below his belly button and he hisses when her soft kisses turn to aggressive sucking. Her hand surprises him by ducking under his boxers and wrapping around him once more, freeing him from his shorts and pumping him again while continuing to place lingering kisses around the base of his cock.

She rolls his boxers off of him completely and her tongue shoots out to begin licking him like an ice cream cone. She licks up his shaft and back down repeatedly until her final lick ends with the head of his dick entering her pretty pink mouth.

Caroline's no expert but she knows a few tricks and prides herself on her ability to make a guy lose it completely when she goes down on him. While most girls have to spend minutes torturing and teasing in the usual ways, she can make a guy come in less than 60 seconds. This of course is if she has something better to do and there isn't anything in it for her. With Klaus, she wants to give him just enough pleasure to show him what she can do, but not too much pleasure that the night ends before it begins.

She moves her hand with her mouth, sucking hard and moving agonizingly slow. She flicks her tongue across his tip before removing her hand completely and bringing her lips all the way down to his base and back up again. She watches his eyes grow wide with her impressive feat then closes hers and moans, enjoying the way that he flexes and moves inside her mouth.

He can't look at her. Feeling her hot mouth moving all the way down him and back up, it's too much. His head rolls back and he tries to remember to breathe but he feels the familiar quake start to take hold down below.

_Man up, Mikaelson,_ he hears Tony Stark scream at him. _Don't you dare blow it!_

His eyes begin to roll back in his head and when he almost can't take it any longer, he starts to reach down to stop her. When his hand meets her head, he sighs with relief when she stops on her own, thanking God that he still has a chance to show her what he can offer.

She starts to crawl her way back up his body when she is taken by surprise as he sits up, grabs her by the waist and flips her around onto her back. She giggles as her head lands on the soft pillow behind her and he sinks his head into the crook of her neck. He sucks on her ear briefly and moves along her neck and collarbone. He sits up and his hands roam down her breasts and across her stomach before looping his fingers around the tiny string of her panties.

He gazes down at the barely there fabric and asks, "Can one even consider these underwear?"

"Panties," she laughs. "They're panties, Klaus."

"They're fantastic," he adds and runs his fingers down her thighs bringing her 'panties' with them. She kicks her legs up and he tosses them to the floor - both her bra and panties have worked their magic and are now retiring for the evening.

Her legs spread wider as he situates himself between them. He lowers himself on top of her - their bodies flush - and he kisses her again. He keeps his mouth on hers and brings a hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear and caress the side of her face. She bucks her hips against him and pushes up; her skin aching to feel him as close as possible. His hand runs down her side as she reaches up and grabs hold of his hair and wraps her arms tightly around his neck. She breaks free from the kiss only for a moment and tells him, "I'm ready, Klaus."

He doesn't hesitate and as his lips touch hers again he simultaneously pushes himself deep inside her.

Caroline whimpers as he glides all the way in and she let's out her first audible appreciation of the act when he moves back out. Her mouth and hands didn't prepare her enough for his size and how truly deep he is able to go. She wraps her legs behind his back and links her ankles before pushing her hips up to give him more access.

Klaus closes his eyes and remembers his breathing as he enters and re-enters her slick center.

_Must. Keep. Going. Must. Make. Her. Come,_ he recites his mantra to himself.

He listens to her moan and hum her appreciations and he delights in the way she moves with him, pushing her hips up to meet his downward thrusts. His eyes flutter open when he feels her hands on his face.

Caroline reaches up and grabs the sides of his glasses, pulling them off and setting them down on the night stand. He blinks and adjusts his sight, slightly frustrated that her face is hazier and less clear. "Why did you do that?" he asks.

"Because I want to see your eyes," she says and runs her fingertips along his brows and down his face, peering sentimentally into them. "And because I don't want to break them..."

"Break them?" he starts to question but she is grabbing his face and pulling him down for an impossibly deep kiss. Her hands run through his hair and down his back before she grabs hold and before he has any say in the matter, he is on his back and she is riding on top of him. She arches back and presses a hand to his chest, rocking her hips allowing him to get deeper and deeper inside of her.

This is what she needs - to be fucked deep and hard. This is how she wants to come.

Her speed quickens and his hands grab hold of her hips. He doesn't need to ask, he can tell that she's ready to let go and so he helps with her efforts and holds his hips up letting her move up and down, side to side, back and forth until her screams are echoing off the walls.

"Oh, right there! RIGHT THERE!" she shouts.

He stays put, repeating the same motion and growing hungrier for his own release as he watches the goddess on top of him furrowing her brows and biting her bottom lip. He can't take much more of this; her hands grabbing hold of her hair and her tits bouncing up and down, so he centers his attention on her belly button instead. But even his peripheral and shitty eyesight are working against him and he can still see her rising and falling on top of him and her hands grabbing hold of her breasts. The inevitable is about to happen...

Caroline can feel her toes begin to curl as the first wave of her orgasm begins to settle into them. She shifts an inch and the head of his cock rubs hard and fast against her hidden erogenous zone and when she hears Klaus begin to growl and the animal in his voice emerges, it makes the climb to the top fast and easy. She reaches her peak and like Jill and her fucking pale of water, she comes tumbling down, crying out and landing hard and wet as she drenches him completely.

Klaus is relieved to see that his mantra has worked, as she comes easily and beautifully. He takes his turn and finally giving in to his primal needs, he finally lets go too. He's so blinded by passion; so blinded by the mother fucking stamina he was able to produce that he doesn't even make a conscious effort to keep the words from falling out of his mouth.

"BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!"

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**Oh man! You are such a nerd, Klaus! LMFAO!**

**Brownie points to whoever can tell me where Klaus' nerdy cry of passion comes from!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, WOW! The reviews on that last chapter were unreal. LOL. I'm so glad you guys liked it. And yes...his battle cry of passion was from He-Man! Good job and brownies to all for getting it right! **

**Lots of questions about what's happening with Kalijah...I think this chapter will answer a few of those.  
**

**Thank you once again to my BETAS. If you haven't read their stories...you should...Livingdeadblondegirl (The Only Hope For Me Is You), klarolineepiclove (Rescue Me), a-little-blonde-distraction (Green Card/Where Words Fail). **

**Well, I'm completely spoiling you with quick updates, but I'm sort of spoiling myself with this story so I don't mind sharing with you just as soon as I feel my chapters are ready.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews and follows and favorites! You guys are the best!**

* * *

"By the power of _Grayskull_?!"

Caroline collapses beside Klaus in an uproar of laughter. "Oh my god...by the power...of...Grayskull," she says again between giggles. "What does that even _mean_?!" She is practically doubled over and clutching her stomach as tears begin to prick at her eyes.

Klaus runs his hands down his face in humiliation. He couldn't help it. Those particular words have been uttered by him many times in the past, but always in the privacy of his own bedroom or the shower and never when he's actually _with_ someone. "Nothing...it means nothing," he presses his lips together and closes his eyes.

Caroline's giggles begin to wane when she sees the horror struck expression on Klaus' face. She clears her throat and dabs the tears away from her eyes and attempts speaking to him with a straight face. She licks her lips and pushes a smile back before asking, "So...what's it from?"

"I'd rather not say," he says and continues to stare up at the ceiling; wishing he could go back in time and say anything else, or better yet, nothing at all.

"Well, whatever it was...it was _awesome_!" Caroline exclaims and rolls onto her side to face him. "I'm not sure who Grayskull is, but whatever power you got from him was outstanding!"

He turns his head to the side and notices she's genuinely smiling at him. His embarrassment washes slowly away when he notices her post-coital glow and the look of pure joy emanating from her face. "It's actually a 'what' not a 'who'," he confesses.

"What?"

"Grayskull is a 'what' not a 'who'," he says with a defeated smirk. He's already screamed it, he might as well just tell her what it is.

"Oooh, tell me more," she laughs and shimmies closer to him to wrap his arm around her so she can nestle into his chest.

He looks down at her blonde head and continues, "Castle Grayskull is the enchanted fortress that He-Man calls upon before battle."

Caroline snorts out another giggle and throws her hand to her mouth to try and suppress it. She's trying to make him feel better about his choice words, not embarrass him any further but she can't stop herself from laughing. However, her laughter is accompanied with a soft chuckle and then the shaking of Klaus' chest, indicating that he is becoming just as amused as she is by the situation.

"Augh, I can't believe I said that," he laughs heartily and runs his hands down his face again.

"I thought it was cute," she offers and tilts her head to peer up at him. Their laughter recedes and she pushes up and kisses him.

She presses her tongue against his, soft and tender, before running her hand down his face and opening her mouth wider. She moans into his mouth and starts to drift back to their throws of passion. His incredible body working so hard beneath her and bringing her so much pleasure and the memory is causing her arousal to start all over again. It's interrupted, however, when Caroline thinks of his orgasmic response and laughs into his mouth.

He just shakes his head and sighs, "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

"Probably not," she shakes her head and rolls onto her back, her whole body beginning to convulse again with amusement.

"Oh, it's just sooooo funny, isn't it?" he reaches his hands out and begins to tickle her sides, causing her to spasm even more.

"No, stop...STOP!" she says between laughs and tries to inch away from him. He rolls over on top of her and grabs both her hands; pinning them over her head. She shifts and arches her back underneath him, trying to scoot her way out of his grasp, but it's no use. He's had just about enough of her giggles and stops her mouth with another kiss.

When their lips separate he's accomplished his task when her face relaxes and her sniggers subside. He lets go of her hands and she immediately begins to trace her fingers over his chest and stops at his tattoo. The one over his heart.

"What is this?" she asks as her finger traces the outline.

"A tattoo," he responds nonchalantly.

"I know it's a tattoo," she gives him a playful eye roll. "But what is it?"

"I don't think you can handle anymore of my geekiness tonight," he assures her and rolls back over to his back.

She cuddles back up to him and says, "Come on, I promise I won't laugh..."

"I'm not afraid you'll laugh. I'm afraid that the meaning behind it is going to get you all hot and bothered again, and I'm still recuperating," he shrugs and relaxes with his hands behind his head.

She doesn't respond, only tilts her head at him and bats her eyelashes, letting her femininity do the persuading for her. He rolls his eyes and says, "Fine, I'll tell you."

Men are so easy.

"Do you know who the X-Men are?"

"Is that the movie with the bald guy in the wheelchair?"

Klaus shakes his head at her innocence. If she wasn't so damn cute he'd scoff at her and rebuke her for not knowing the pop culture, mutant phenomena. But instead he just nods his head and says, "Yes." She seems positively proud of herself for knowing what little she does, and so he rewards her with more of the truth. "This is the symbol that Professor X's X-Men wear on their superhero suits."

"Oh." She looks down at it in contemplation. "And this one?" she asks and traces her hands up to the large circular symbol on his shoulder.

"Captain America."

She lets out an amused laugh through her nose.

"What?"

"It just seems slightly ironic that a guy from England likes Captain America."

"He's badass," he says with no shame, "and he sort of holds this universal value of truth, and loyalty, but isn't afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to the people he loves." He runs his hand over the Captain's shield. "I don't know, I just think people can relate. I know I can."

"I can see that...not to mention Chris Evans is super hot," she says, and he chuckles when she wiggles her eyebrows with a flash of humor and lust in her eyes.

Her hand continues to roam down his ribs and makes him lift up off the mattress to see the pin-up girl underneath. At least she thinks she's a pin-up girl. "She's very pretty. Who is she?"

He's actually quite proud of this one. He drew her himself and the artist tattooed her perfectly. "That...is Emma Frost."

Caroline hadn't really noticed her before. She's hidden under his arm and placed almost entirely on his back. A blonde beauty stares back at her, her body illuminated from head to toe in a white shimmer. She has on about as much clothes as Caroline was wearing earlier - small white panties, a white corset that's barely closed, a long white cape with fur around the neck, and tall white 'fuck me' boots. Her hair is a pale yellow and it's cascading down her shoulders in soft curls, and her eyes are an unnaturally light blue. "Where is she from?"

"She's from the same comic book as the guy in the wheelchair and she's my favorite."

"I can see why," she raises her eyebrows in a knowing way and glances back and forth between him and the busty blonde ink.

He turns to his side and props himself up on his elbow. "You wanna know what her power is?"

She nods her head emphatically.

"She can turn her entire skin...into diamonds."

Caroline's eyes grow wide. "That's so cool," she says with sincerity. "I can only imagine how beautiful she would actually look."

"Well..." he brushes the side of her face with his knuckles, "even if she were standing in front of us right now, I can promise you that...she'd _almost_ be as beautiful as you."

Caroline smiles at his sentiment and places her hand over his, turning her face into his palm. She places a chaste, yet sensual kiss on the heel of his hand before scooting closer to him and nestling back into his embrace.

Klaus sighs and closes his eyes while moving his hand up and down her arm. He isn't sure what he's done in the past that would warrant the good fortune of Caroline crossing his path, but he isn't going to question it, he's going to enjoy it. Girls like Caroline are once in a lifetime.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Katherine's eyes blink open when the invasive sunlight dances across her eyelids. She peers at the clock and notices the time, smiling into the pillow, when she realizes how rested she feels. She rolls over and stretches her hands behind her, pressing her fingers into the headboard and feeling the stretch through her arms and torso. She moves her head to the other side, humming a gentle sigh of contentment when she sees a naked Elijah smiling over at her.

"You waking up beside me is starting to become a habit," he tells her.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she mews and rolls on her side to scoot closer to him.

"Well, you do have a tendency to steal the covers at night and you make this odd clicking noise with your tongue while you sleep," he begins but quickly stops talking when Kat shoots him one of her signature glares. "But...other than that," he starts again hesitantly, "your skin is quite soft." He runs his hand along her arm. "Your hair smells nice." He twirls his fingers in one of her curls. "And your presence in my bed makes me wonder how I slept all these years without you in it."

Like the Grinch experiencing love and kindness on Christmas for the first time, Katherine's heart swells ten times its normal size. She leans forward and gently kisses him on the nose, and then each eyebrow before brushing her lips against his. "You are a fascinating man, Elijah Mikaelson."

"Ironically, you're not the first person to tell me that."

Elijah doesn't understand the little lilt of laughter that bubbles out of her. He is being completely serious, so he chalks it up to complicated feminine wiles and asks, "Would you like some breakfast Katherine?"

She cups his face and nods. "That would be really nice."

Elijah turns away from her and Kat admires his backside as he steps from the bed. His long torso and broad shoulders bringing flashes of their lovemaking to her mind. The first night was all teeth and claws, the gentleman showing his own sexual prowess after his heartfelt, but strained, apology at the restaurant that night.

Jeremy had left with the Nerd Herd and so Elijah offered to take her home. After another heated debate about a particular superhero and his hammer, Elijah couldn't handle how much Katherine's comic book knowledge turned him on. He tried to be a gentleman about it, he really did, but Kat was just as turned on as he was. Blame it on his accent and that fucking. Gorgeous. Suit.

When he pulled up to her house and put the car in park, she jumped him, and before she knew it, they were in her bedroom, tearing each other's clothes off. Okay...so Elijah had to hang his suit up before he was fully committed, but once he did, it was only a matter of time before his hands and mouth were devouring every part of her.

Last night, however, his demeanor was different. He explored and caressed her like she's never experienced before. He took his time running his mouth along each of her curves, using his hands gently as they rolled across her breasts and down her body, all the while keeping eye contact with her as he moved slowly and deeply inside of her.

She continues to take in his naked form, her gaze lingering at his tight, bounce-a-quarter-of-it ass, when she bites her bottom lip and says, "Elijah?"

"Yes, Katherine?" Even the way he says her name gets her going.

"I changed my mind about breakfast."

"Oh, are you not hungry?" he turns and walks back to her with slight concern on his brow.

Kat stands up on her knees, letting the blankets drift away from her naked body. She runs her hands up his chest and down his back before clutching onto his firm ass. "Oh, I'm hungry," she says in a low and heady tone and pushes him back onto the bed to straddle him. "But not for breakfast."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Klaus is resenting Elijah's early call time even more than he did before. They had agreed to get as early a start as they could, but that was before he realized he'd be leaving Caroline's bed to get there on time. All he wanted to do after last night was stay there and continue feeling her warm body against him, kissing down her milky white skin and revelling in the way she quivered and shuddered around him as he moved in and out of her.

_Fuck you, Elijah, and your damn 9am wake up call! _

It's now 9:01 and he can already hear his brother's pretentious voice in his head.

_9:01 is not 9 o'clock, Niklaus._

Caroline tried to keep him there, coaxing and luring him back to bed as many times as she could. He still had to go home to shower and change, and so he finally and regretfully left her with a lingering kiss and a promise to call. Although, Caroline did suggest a hot shower at her place so he could stay a bit longer, but he knew if he were in the presence of her naked, wet body - come tomorrow morning - Comicon would have come and gone.

He and his brothers plan an annual trip every year to their city's Convention and it is always the most anticipated event of the year for the comic book collecting boys. Not to mention as shop owners they get bulk discounts and are the first to preview some of the new local comics that are coming out in the fall. Elijah and Klaus are always talking strategy, looking for new ways to bring more people into the store. There's nothing better than to be surrounded by the very people who make their business boom; whether it's their suppliers or customers.

Kol on the other hand takes every opportunity that arises to hit on the cosplay ladies. He follows the first short skirt and heaving bosom he finds and they typically don't see him again for the rest of the day.

He's walking briskly down the sidewalk now and sees his younger brother approaching from the other direction. "We're late!" he hollers.

"I know!" Kol rolls his eyes and they enter Elijah's apartment building together.

"Wait?" Kol turns to Klaus. "Why are you late?"

"Why are _you_ late?" Klaus repeats back to him, deflecting the question. The last thing he needs is Kol tormenting him with questions about Caroline for the entire drive there.

Kol pushes the elevator button and as they wait Klaus tries to keep his composure. No need to give him any clue as to what happened last night. He sees Kol staring at him from the side but he doesn't look over, he just continues to stare at the descending numbers above the elevator.

Kol eyes him suspiciously. He knows he went on a date with Caroline last night but there is no way he got lucky. No fucking way...

"Klaus?"

"Hm?"

"So...what happened on your date last night?" he asks and leans against the wall in front of Klaus with his arms folded, forcing his way into Klaus' eye line.

"What do you mean?" Klaus asks innocently.

"Anything you wanna share with your little brother?"

"Nope," he answers quickly and reaches forward to push the elevator button again. Although he and Kol both know that's not going to magically make the elevator get there any sooner.

"Come on, Klaus, stop avoiding the question. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," he snaps but can't help the small smirk that rises at the corner of his mouth.

Kol's eyes get wide, he's seen enough of his brother's demeanor to come to a conclusion on his own. "No way!" he says in shock and pushes himself off the wall. "There's _no_ way!"

Klaus adjusts his glasses, giving Kol even more of an indicator that his assumptions are right. "Oh my God, she actually had_ sex_ with you...I don't believe it..."

The elevator doors open just in time, and Klaus walks briskly into it with Kol right behind.

"You lucky bastard!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

The elevator opens and Kol's incessant questions continue.

"How?"

"When?"

"Where?"

"What?"

Klaus continues to ignore him, and shakes his head in annoyance. He suddenly feels like he just stepped into a Looney Tunes cartoon where he's Spike the bulldog and Kol is Chester, the little emphatic and overly enthusiastic mutt that follows him around.

"_Hey hey, you want us to dig up some bones, Klaus? Anything you like, Klaus. Cause you and I are pals, right Klaus?"_

"_Hey Klaus, you wanna play ball? You wanna play ball, Klaus? Do ya? Do ya wanna?"_

"_Hey Klaus, you wanna chase some girls? You wanna? We can chase up some girls and have a little fun, huh Klaus? You wanna?!" _

He's tempted to take his cue from Spike and give his brother a blow to the head but reaches Elijah's door first and takes it out on it; knocking a bit more aggressively than is necessary.

Elijah opens the door immediately saving Kol from some head trauma but causing the younger Mikaelsons to stare unbelievingly at their brother. Elijah is still in his pajama pants and shirtless and his hair is looking uncharacteristically unkempt. He is holding a cup of coffee and is nowhere near being dressed and ready to go. Klaus and Kol look down at their watches simultaneously...maybe they got the time wrong.

"Hello, brothers," Elijah says. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Are you fucking kidding me, Elijah? Comicon!"

Elijah opens the door and lets his brothers step inside. "Oh. I forgot," he says calmly.

Images of Caroline's waiting and naked body and the extended time he could have spent with her, come rushing to Klaus' mind. He clenches his fists at his side and throws his head back in disgust. "We raced over here and you're not even _ready_?!"

"I'm sorry I got...distracted," he offers cooly.

"You don't _get_ distracted, Elijah! You're the responsible one that keeps the two of _us _from getting distracted," Kol says and flicks a finger between he and Klaus. "If _you_ didn't do it, Elijah, our lives would be complete chaos!"

"Well, this is true. Pardon my tardiness." He nods politely at them and walks back toward his kitchen to rinse his mug and place it in the dishwasher. "I'll go get dressed."

"Elijah, do you have an extra toothbr-"

Katherine emerges from Elijah's bedroom wearing nothing but one of his white dress shirts and a look of horror. Her eyes are as wide as saucers and her mouth is practically on the floor when she notices his little brothers gaping at her in the same manner.

She breaks out of her stupor and whips her head around toward the kitchen. "ELIJAH?!" she screeches indignantly at him and races back into the bedroom.

Klaus and Kol stare at the now empty door frame where a tussle of brown curls and angry swearing just emerged back into.

Klaus puts his hands out in front of him as though he's trying to stop the world from turning so he can assess the current situation. What the hell just happened?

"Did you...did you have coitus with her, Elijah?" he asks with subtle amusement playing throughout his features.

"Twice," Elijah replies and casually holds up two fingers.

"SHUT UP, ELIJAH!" they hear Kat scream from the bedroom.

Klaus begins to chuckle while Kol is still dazed and confused. He blinks rapidly to wake himself up and turns to his older brothers. He looks between Klaus and Elijah, feeling a mixture of jealousy and pride (a common problem between brothers) and his head starts to boil. First Klaus and Caroline and now Elijah and _Catwoman_?!

"AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T GET LAID LAST NIGHT?"

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**Bahahahaha! Poor Kol! **

**Well, are we happy with the post-coital from both couples? **

**Thanks again for reading! Reviews are beautiful and full of light!...I fancy them! **

**Until Next Time...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Yay for an update! Thank you all for reading and loving this story! So many reviews and follows and favorites and just...yay. So awesome!**

**Thanks to my bitches and very special minion. Becky, Alex, Miranda and Kate!  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The entire drive to Comicon was like riding with a three year old. Incessant questions, followed by temper tantrums when it didn't go the way Kol wanted. At one point, they stopped for a "potty" break and Elijah and Klaus debated strongly on whether they should leave him behind. Elijah reminded Klaus that Kol will soon be out of their hair and off chasing cosplay girls once they got there. So, instead of abandoning him they gave him a snack and some juice (a corn dog and a Root Beer) and before too long he was out like a light.

It was a pleasant drive after that.

However, it was wishful thinking on their part that Kol would just stop once they got there. Klaus saw a number of candidates for Kol to chase immediately after they came through the entrance, but no busty Anime character could deter him from continuing his inquisition. Kol lingers around his elder brothers still trying to get as much information about their little trysts that he can.

"I mean, Klaus and Caroline, I get...sort of. But, you and Katherine?! How the hell did that even happen?"

Elijah brushes some invasive lint from his collar and doesn't respond. He may be daft to what are appropriate social norms, but after the scorning he received from Katherine this morning he decided it's best to keep quiet. She was none too happy after he gave even the smallest hint of their sexual experience to his brothers, and irrationally threatened to withhold any future copulation if he discussed it any further. Yes, he's daft to most social norms, but he read her message loud and clear.

And he very much likes copulation with Katherine.

"We're not telling you anything, Kol, just give it a rest!" Klaus grumbles.

"Fine!" Kol throws his hands up in defeat, "if you won't tell me then maybe Bekah can help me understand it."

"Kol...no!" both brothers holler, but it's no use, Kol has disappeared into the crowd, pulling out his cell phone to text their little sister.

Klaus and Elijah exchange glances, knowing they'll most likely be riddled with questions from both their younger siblings now. Only Bekah will be less crass in her requests for details and more focused on the lovey dovey parts of their relationships. Their dear sister has always been a hopeless romantic.

He can just hear her now,

_Oh, this is so exciting! Are they your girlfriends? _

_When's the wedding? _

_How soon until I can start calling them my sisters?_

She gets a little carried away.

Although, Klaus's been through it a couple of times before, he can only recall one time when Elijah ever has. He's always been so reticent about his relationships - to the point that his family questioned at one time, whether he enjoyed the company of men or women...or sock puppets for all they knew. Always ambiguous and never once did he throw in his two cents when it came to talking about pretty girls with Klaus and Kol. It wasn't until his second year of University when he came home with a unique young girl, with a unique name...Tatia, he thinks...that they realized he actually _did_ like girls.

Klaus has always been attracted to blondes, and Kol will chase anything that gives him the time of day, and now it seems his older brother has a type as well. If he recalls correctly, Tatia had dark hair and dark eyes, just like Katherine. Still...the last thing he remembers is a furious Kat screaming about his idiot brother and his idiot commentary.

"Elijah?" Klaus mutters as they walk through the crowd to the comic book area.

"Yes, Klaus?" he responds.

"How the hell _did_ it happen?"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Good morning!" Caroline beams as she greets Kat outside the local cafe with a kiss to the cheek.

"Good...morning," Katherine says suspiciously and narrows her eyes at the unusually chipper blonde. We're talking, _chipper_...like more than usual. Like a cheerleader hopped up on Redbull and Pixie Stix kinda chipper. Katherine can only assume that Caroline's date went well.

"You want to sit outside?" Caroline asks. "It's a beautiful day today."

Now she's commenting on the weather? Caroline's date definitely went well.

"Sure," Kat agrees and the two of them make their way to an empty table. She watches Caroline closely, examining her for any further signs. She definitely has a glow about her, and she can't stop smiling. Katherine gives her a wry smile before asking, "So how did it go last night?"

"What?"

"Don't play coy with me, how did your date go? Did your lusty lingerie play any part?" She leans forward and wiggles her eyebrows at her.

Caroline glances at Kat and smirks. She can't help but tease her friend, knowing it'll drive her nuts to not hear every little detail. "It was a _very_ good night."

"Caroline?!" Kat says, a threatening tone in her voice. "What happened?"

She shrugs again and opens her mouth to speak when the waitress arrives to take their order. "Oh hello, April," Caroline says cheerily.

"Go away!" Kat spits at the waitress, keeping her focus on Caroline and her confession and not even sparing the poor girl a glance.

The shocked waitress drops her jaw at Kat's terrible manners and shakes her head. She tosses their menus on the table and spins on her heel, her raven colored ponytail swinging haughtily toward her next table.

"Your latte is so getting spit in this morning," Caroline tells Kat and shakes her head at her rude friend.

Katherine just waves the already absent nuisance away again with her hand. "She'll get over it. Now tell me about Klaus."

"Oh speaking of Klaus," Caroline starts.

"Yeees?" Kat's all ears.

"I invited his sister to join us." Caroline lifts her eyebrows and nods her head, loving the look of complete annoyance on Kat's face at her changing the subject yet again.

Kat rolls her eyes at her friend's continued diversions and decides to play along. "Okay, why?"

Caroline picks up her menu and starts to scan the items. "Because I thought it would be nice to be friends with her."

"Okay, but...why the sudden interest now?"

"No reason," Caroline shrugs.

Kat leans forward and places her elbow on the table and rests her hand under her chin. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you're boinking her brother, would it?"

Caroline tries to suppress a laugh by pressing her lips firmly together. She continues to look at the menu as if she's in deep thought about her selection and has no idea what Kat is talking about.

Kat's had about enough of her games and begins to chuckle. "Oh my God, Caroline Forbes, you _totally _fucked him!" she shouts.

"Katherine!?" Caroline slinks down in her chair, looking around at the other tables and patrons, embarrassed at Kat's sudden outburst. "Shh," Caroline warns her and gives Pastor Young a curt nod before looking back at her friend. "Would you try and be a little quieter please?"

"You _did_," Kat laughs. "You totally had hot, filthy, nerdy sex with him!" She points a finger at her friend, daring her to deny it.

"Okay, okay." Caroline throws her hands out in front of her to quiet the girl. She leans forward on the table and widens her eyes, "I totally did," she admits and grins like an idiot at her best friend.

"I knew it!" Kat laughs at her friend. "You are such a bitch for making me drag it out of you!"

"Oh you knew," she flips a hand at her friend nonchalantly.

"So...how was it?" Kat lifts her eyebrows in inquisition.

"It was..." she pauses, thinking back fondly on last night, "_really_ good."

"Clark Kent toss his glasses to the side and show you his Superman?"

"Actually...I made him keep the glasses on," Caroline says.

"Yeah, you did, you kinky whore," Kat teases.

The girls burst out in laughter before Caroline sees a familiar blonde headed their way. "Shh, here comes Bekah."

The girls watch Rebekah approach, Bonnie is with her too and Kat gives the shy girl a wave. Rebekah's eyes are wide as she focuses on the cell phone in front of her. She looks down at her phone and back up at them and over at Bonnie, who just gives her a "what's up?" shrug. Bekah races over to their table a huge grin plastered on her face. Caroline opens her mouth to greet her, but Rebekah beats her to it and bursts out her own greeting first.

"You had _sex_ with my brother?!"

Caroline is frozen in place and isn't sure how to respond. "Um..well...we-" Caroline starts to say shyly but realizes that Rebekah isn't talking to her but staring at the uneasy brunette across the way from her.

Kat throws a palm to her forehead and it's her turn to glance at Pastor Young who is shaking his head and giving her a look of derision. She gives him a smug smile back before rolling her eyes and glancing up at Rebekah. She knows Elijah isn't stupid enough to spill the beans and Klaus is in the same boat with Caroline. So...

"Let me guess...Kol told you?"

Caroline can't believe it. "Are you _kidding_ me?" She sits up in her chair and Rebekah and Bonnie take a seat between them. "You are giving me shit about Klaus and you had sex with _Kol_ last night?"

"Oh my God, NOOOO!" Rebekah and Katherine say in unison.

"Caroline...no..." Katherine turns her head to the side and begins to dry heave at the thought. "Just...no." She covers her mouth and shakes her head.

"Elijah...Caroline. She slept with Elijah." Rebekah corrects her.

"Oooooh," Caroline catches on. "That makes sense...wait, no it doesn't! I thought you hated him?"

"Not according to Kol, she doesn't." Rebekah tells her.

"Okay, can you please let me explain instead of assuming anything that your horndog of a brother has told you is true?"

"Come on guys, Kol's not that bad," Bonnie pipes up, silencing the girls.

Rebekah shakes her head and laughs. "You just think that 'cause you have a thing for him."

Caroline and Kat give Bonnie a blank stare and she sinks into her seat and doesn't dare look up at them. "No, I don't," she says shyly.

Katherine laughs making Bonnie sink even lower, "I thought maybe you were into him after dinner the other night."

"I'm not!" she says again adamantly. "And stop changing the subject. You had sex with Elijah, and don't even get me started with you and Jeremy, Rebekah!" she points an accusatory finger at her friend.

Kat nearly falls out of her chair at the mention of her brother's name. "Excuse me?"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Elijah and Klaus have now sat through two panels of well known authors, stood in line to get three comic books signed by said authors, and are now perusing the many booths of up and coming comic books. One in particular stood out to them and Klaus stopped to pick up one of the copies and skim the artwork.

"Yours is better," Elijah says next to him.

"What?"

"Your artwork," his brother tells him. "It's much better than this."

"I don't think so-"

"It is, Klaus," Elijah says definitively. "Your story is better too."

"Well not according to the publishers that I've sent it to."

Klaus has been working on his own comic book for the better part of two years now. He spent all of his off time perfecting it; changing the script and adjusting the looks on his characters faces to suit the mood of the story. It's dark. Really dark, and that's what the publishers keep telling him.

_Although your work shows signs of promise, the concept of your novel is not to the liking of our specific audience. The theme is too dark with no underlining hope and promise for the future of your protagonist. Please continue to work on it and submit it again when you feel you have made the necessary changes that we have requested. _

It was a similar letter from each publisher, and Klaus is beginning to feel like he will never figure it out. Hence why he has tabled his efforts for some time now; concentrating on the shop and hoping that if he spends enough time away from it that something new and fresh will come to his mind. Elijah continues to encourage him by telling him that it's a good thing that he even hears back from the publishers, while many inspiring authors or artists never hear a word from them. Obviously they see the potential that he has, and want him to keep trying.

"I just can't figure it out," he adjusts his glasses and looks up at his brother. "Why does my character have to have a purpose other than good ol' fashioned revenge? There are plenty of comic books with that same theme." Klaus shakes his head and puts the comic in his hand back down. He nods at the kid behind the booth and he and Elijah continue to the next one. "I mean, look at Batman for Christ's sake!"

"Yes, Batman would be a formidable comparison." Elijah places his hands in his pockets and mulls over his brother's thoughts. "Although," he begins to add, "Batman's beginnings may have started with revenge, it is not what makes up who he is entirely. He has multiple layers and is continually evolving, finding redemption in the process."

"And you think mine is just out for blood and that's it?" Klaus counters.

"In some respects," Elijah continues but is interrupted by a tug on his suit jacket. He turns around to face the intruder but sees no one standing there until he lowers his head at a small child down below. "May I help you?"

"I like your costume!" he beams up at Elijah.

"My costume?" Elijah tilts his head at the boy in confusion.

"Yeah, Men in Black, right?"

Klaus starts to laugh and Elijah just looks down at his suit and back at the boy. He's never cared for children, and that's probably because he never considered himself one at any point in his life. He was always level headed and besides his superhero indulgences never dreamed about dressing up as one of them for a convention.

"I am not dressed up as a Man in Black, young person."

"Then why are you wearing a suit?" the kid curls his lip and furrows his brow in confusion.

"Because I like suits."

"You're weird."

"And you smell," he says back to the child.

The small boy's lower lip begins to quiver and he turns on his heel away from Elijah, "Mooooommy!"

Klaus' laughter stops and he grabs Elijah by the elbow, "Okay, time to go."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"What do you mean, you and Jeremy?" Katherine asks Bekah.

"Oh, after you and Elijah left, they dropped Kol and I off and-"

"Bonnie, shut it!" Rebekah warns her and smiles at Katherine. "Nothing happened," she assures her.

"I wouldn't care if something did," she shrugs. "I was just surprised is all."

"How so?" Rebekah asks.

"You're not really his type," Kat peers back at her menu, perfectly clear at how bitchy she sounds.

"Well..." Bekah thinks about it, trying to figure out if she should be offended or not. "He's not really my type either."

He isn't. She likes a guy with a bit more swag and perhaps a steady job, but there's something about Jeremy that always draws her back to him. Perhaps it has something to do with his "I don't give a shit" attitude and his puppy dog brown eyes.

_Yes,_ she thinks, _it's the eyes._

"I like your brother," she states matter of factly, but just to be a bit of a bitch herself adds, "He makes me laugh and he's a _really_ good kisser."

Kat peers up from the menu to give Bekah an appreciative smile. But she's never been one to back down from a challenge. "And I like _your_ brother. He's really good at..._everything_," she gives Rebekah a suggestive eyebrow lift.

Bonnie and Caroline watch the two go at it, each one trying to one up the other with more information than anyone at the table needs to know.

"Well your brother knows exactly what to do in order to really get me going!"

"Well _your _brother has a huuuuge-"

"That's enough, Kat" Caroline interjects and turns to Bonnie to engage in a different conversation, and to shut the other two up.

"So Bonnie, how long have you known the Mikaelsons?"

"For a while now. We met playing WoW, but then they hired me about a year ago to work in the shop."

"And you like it...working there?"

"She likes working with Kol," Rebekah teases again.

"Seriously, Rebekah?" Bonnie stands up for herself. "Would you just let it go?"

"No, I won't. Since we're finally talking about it, I want to know what's holding you back from going for it?" Bonnie has been skirting around the issue for far too long.

"It doesn't matter, okay?" Bonnie shifts in her seat and looks down at the table. "It's not like anyone will ever look at me in that way. I don't look like you girls."

The three of them look at each other and then back at Bonnie. If they're being honest, they can see what she means. She's got a heart of gold, but Kol isn't the most perceptive of the Mikaelson boys and Bonnie doesn't scream sexy.

"You're beautiful," Rebekah encourages her friend.

"No I'm not," Bonnie casts her eyes down bashfully. "Besides, you have to tell me that because you're my friend."

"When have you ever known me to not tell the truth?"

Bonnie looks up at her and smiles, "You really think so?"

"Of course we do," Katherine chimes in. "What?" she asks Caroline when she notices her look of disbelief. "I can be nice, ya know!" She turns back to Bonnie and smiles. "You've got amazing skin, a really pretty smile and I'm not sure what's going on under that lumberjack outfit you're wearing, but I'm pretty sure you're not showing off everything you got."

Bonnie looks down at her flannel shirt and jeans and back up at Kat. She's always looked like this, for as long as she can remember. Her mother left her when she was really small and so she's never had any real feminine influence in her life. "It's not that great," she assures her.

"Yes it is," Bekah tells her. "You have all the right pieces, you just need to know how to package it properly."

"I don't even know what that means," Bonnie sighs.

"It means, you have all the makings for someone who is beautiful on the inside and drop dead gorgeous on the outside." Caroline leans forward and smiles widely at her. "We can help...if you'd like?" Her fingers itching to make the plain girl before her into a complete and total bombshell.

"Yes! Please Bonnie," Bekah says. "Let us help."

Bonnie glances around the table at the all too eager girls. She's never been very good at peer pressure and so she reluctantly gives in, "Alright, I'm not sure how much good it's going to do though."

"Yay!" Caroline claps her hands and the rest join in.

"Makeover!"

* * *

**So Bonnie's gonna get vavavoomed (sp?) haha. How we feeling about that? **

**Let me know what you think! Reviews are my bread and butter, baby! Tell me here or on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels. xoxo  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Alright, figured we needed some cheering up after that fucking episode. We needed more Klaroline! And a bit of Kalijah and some other little tidbits! **

**Thanks Alex, Miranda and my Kate. Becky gets half credit. YOU KNOW! (love you girls)  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Klaus and Elijah were not looking forward to the drive home with Kol but are pleasantly surprised to see him pass out in the backseat almost the instant they got on the road.

Too much tail chasing can do that to a young pup.

Klaus peers at his sleeping baby brother and then over at Elijah, "He's nice like that."

About an hour into the drive Klaus finally hears from Bekah. He's not surprised to hear that she's already beginning to form bonds with the ladies next door. It must be a nice change to actually have her brothers seeing women that are more like her than like them. What isn't nice is how persistent she is about talking about their future, hopes and dreams with the women.

"Yes, Bekah...okay...no, we'll be home around ten...okay...have a nice rest of your day...yes I'll tell him...okay...okay...bye," Klaus leans forward with the phone to his ear and his impatient finger itching over the end button, but still listening to Rebekah go on and on about Caroline and Kat, "bye, Bekah...bye...I'm going now...hanging up now." He throws his thumb over the little red button; silencing his sister. Klaus looks over at Elijah and glares, "I'm going to fucking kill Kol for telling her."

"What did our dear sister have to say?" Elijah asks bemused.

"She says that she and Bonnie have spent the entire day with Katherine and Caroline."

"Oh?"

"And that you need to teach Katherine some manners."

It's rare to see Elijah wholeheartedly laugh at something. He's usually a chuckle kind of guy. A snigger here, a titter there, but never a full blown laugh. It seems the idea of teaching Kat anything is beyond amusing and bordering ridiculous to him. "I feel Kat's lack of manners is part of her charm," he tells Klaus. "I would not dare try and change her."

Elijah's never been one to stand for any sort of chaos in his life, but Kat seems to be slowly bringing out the guy that's hidden underneath the suit and it appears he may have finally met his match.

"And what about Caroline? Did Rebekah have anything to say about your new beau?"

"She likes her," Klaus says with a shrug.

Elijah nods with understanding. "I feel there isn't much for Rebekah to not like about Caroline. She's easily the kindest and most beautiful girl you've ever been with."

He turns and looks at his brother in the driver's seat and smirks. "I have no idea how I got so lucky."

They hear Kol grumble in the backseat and stop their chatter immediately, doing whatever is necessary to keep the guy asleep. They ride for awhile in silence when Klaus takes his phone back out and debates on whether or not to text Caroline. He hasn't been able to stop thinking about her all day, and up until now he has been playing it cool. He doesn't want to mess this up, but figures one little text won't hurt.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

**Klaus: Been thinking about you all day today. ;)**

Caroline looks down at her phone and smiles. It's the first she's heard from him today, and although she knows that what they have is pretty special and last night was, just...ugh...so amazing, there's still that insecure girl inside who wonders if that's all it'll be. She's been burned too many times, by too many guys, who promise her the world but never seem to deliver. Klaus is proving to be nothing like them and her heart and stomach mold into one big ball of giddy mush when she thinks about their possibilities. She clicks the reply button and responds...

**Caroline: I've been thinking about you too. I can't wait to see you again.**

She waits a beat, hoping it won't be too long for him to respond. It isn't...

**Klaus: Can I see you tonight? We're going to be home around ten, and I'd love to see your face before I fall asleep tonight. ;)**

Caroline giggles softly to herself and bites her thumb. If she has anything to say about it she's...

**Caroline: Pretty sure if we see each other tonight we won't get much sleep. **

She can't believe she sent that but what's a little texting without a few innuendos between lovers?

**Klaus: How come? Are you not sleeping well? Is ten o'clock too late for you? **

Caroline reads and rereads his reply and tilts her head. Does he not get what she's implying? Maybe there's some sort of innuendo in his response that she's missing. She reads it one more time but another ding comes through...

**Klaus: Oh God, ignore that last text please...I get it. )**

Caroline throws her head back and laughs. Could he get any cuter? She hits reply, and is intent on not letting the next one be as obscure.

**Caroline: I was beginning to wonder. But just to clarify, it means I plan on having my way with you again. **

His response time isn't as quick, and she begins to wonder if she's being too forward. Silly how a few moments of cellphone silence can work its way into your brain and just root around in your insecurities. She sighs with relief when his next text finally comes through.

**Klaus: I can't wait. I'll start calling upon Grayskull now. ;)**

She lets out another hearty laugh and replies...

**Caroline: LOL. Oh yeah, that's so hot. Talk all kinds of comic book nerdy to me! **

Caroline stares at her phone and waits to see what his response will be. Her imagination begins to run wild and she can barely hear the other girls bickering in the background.

"Earth to Caroline..." Katherine says and waves her hand in front of Caroline's face. "Hello?"

"Hmm, what?" Her head shoots up from her phone and she smiles gingerly at her friend.

"We're having a hard time coaxing our dear friend Bonnie out of the dressing room," Katherine says in complete annoyance.

His response will have to wait. She slips the phone back into her purse and gives her full attention to the desperate girl behind the curtain.

They spent the better part of the morning at the Salon. It was imperative to Kat that it was the first order of business. "Sleek and sexy," she told the stylist. After three hours of sewing and ironing, and highlighting, Bonnie's new smooth do has received glowing reviews from everyone they've encountered. She even received a few head turns from a couple guys on the street. Although she said she didn't notice, a small smile at the corner of her mouth was hard to miss.

It's now early evening and after having lunch and trying a number of stores in the mall that were nowhere near Bonnie's taste, the girls have decided to take her to a nearby boutique. It's clothing style is a bit different from what they're used to wearing, but thought it would be a nice fit for their new friend. It definitely caters to the more unique clientele, with it's Hipster-like atmosphere. The clothes are a little out there, but Bonnie needs something to make her stand out but still hold on to the sweet geek underneath.

"I don't know, guys," Bonnie whines behind the curtain. "I just don't think I'm going to find anything that I like."

"How are we supposed to help you if you don't show us?" Rebekah says.

"You keep picking out clothes that are just...well...I'm not sure they're me."

"That's the point!" Katherine calls back. "We're trying to give you a makeover, not a make_under_. Now get out here before I pull you out by your new weave!"

They hear Bonnie sigh before seeing a flutter in the curtain and her head peek out. "Promise you won't laugh?" She bites her lip in worry and there is a collective clatter of grumbles and agreement.

"Just come out..."

"We won't laugh..."

"You can't get any worse!" Kat's voice trumpets over the others.

The blondes snap their heads toward Katherine. "Not helping," Caroline tells her.

Kat just shrugs and folds her arms across her chest.

Rebekah tries again. "Bon, I promise you, the things we've picked out are going to look amazing. You just need to trust us."

Bonnie finally gives up and after closing her eyes for a brief moment of contemplation, she throws the curtain back and steps out into the dressing room foyer.

All three girls are left speechless. Jaws are dropped open, eyes are blinking into focus, and small gasps of laughter are escaping. It's enough for Bonnie to turn around and try rushing back into the dressing room. "I told you! I look stupid!"

"No. No!" Rebekah races after her and grabs her by the elbow. She turns her around and looks down at her. "You look..." She takes a step back to admire her transformed friend, "...hot!"

"I look ridiculous," she says with her head cast down.

"Stop saying that, Bonnie. When we tell you you look fucking hot, then fucking believe us!" Kat's patience has hit a wall. "I think we've done a superb job of letting you keep some of your...originality," she says with an eyeroll. "But we've just improved it."

Bonnie steps further into the foyer and up to a three way mirror. She's still getting used to the straight haired girl in front of her. It took the stylist most of the morning to get it right, but she has to admit that the change did some good. She's been living with unruly curls that she's never quite known how to tame, so this is a vast improvement and one she can see fitting into her daily routine.

She turns around and looks at her backside, and runs her hands down the small black skirt she has on, which sits low and hugs her hips nicely. Her gaze keeps going and she examines her new strappy black high heels. She isn't thrilled about them but the girls insisted that she get used to wearing them and that nothing completes an outfit more than a fabulous pair of shoes. She does have to admit that her legs look exceptionally long. The only thing she's the slightest bit embarrassed about is her exposed stomach. The shirts cute, with it's faded imprint of the well-known Avengers emblem, but she can't help but tug on the bottom to try and cover up as much as possible.

"Stop doing that," Bekah holds her hands down.

"I'm just not sure I want to show this much skin," she shifts her shoulders uncomfortably.

"Are you kidding me? I wish I had a stomach like yours," Bekah encourages and receives a shy smile from Bonnie through the mirror.

"I guess...I guess I do look pretty good," she concedes and Bekah puts her hand in hers and brings it over her head to twirl Bonnie around.

"Kol, is going to flip his shit!"

Bonnie doesn't respond and looks at the other girls who nod in agreement.

"He won't know what hit him," Caroline agrees.

Bonnie shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "I really don't care what Kol thinks of me," she tells Rebekah, trying to hide the blush creeping to her cheeks.

Of course, Rebekah doesn't believe her. It hasn't gone unnoticed how much time Bonnie's been hanging around her family recently. The number of times they've gone out to dinner with her and her persistent need to sit between her and Kol. "Doesn't matter," Bekah says. "It'll just be fun to see him turn into a puddle of hormones and stupidity."

"It's missing something," Caroline says and places a finger on her chin. She scrunches her face up in concentration before her face brightens with a brilliant idea. "I know!"

Caroline races from the dressing room and returns shortly with a strappy contraption in her hand.

"What is that?" Bonnie asks.

"Suspenders," Caroline nods and helps Bonnie fasten them on. They are just what the outfit needed, giving her an extra little touch of geek chic. She steps back to take in the entire outfit, and smiles with the rest of the girls as Bonnie runs her thumbs down the elastic and pulls them out and in. She hears a quiet ding coming from her phone and smiles, knowing Klaus has finally responded.

She discretely reaches into her purse and pulls her phone back out.

_Alright, let's see what our sweet geek has to say... _

He's left a number of replies, and as she reads each one her mouth drops further open, her eyes grow wider, and her panties dampen with each text. All of the imagery is a little lost on her, but definitely not the meaning behind them.

**Klaus: Nerdy comic book talk, huh? Alright...Caroline, you should prepare yourself for tonight, cause I'm going to rub your body so rough and hard that the friction will make your skin burst into flames like The Phoenix. **

**Klaus: I'm going to fly you out of this world and to planet Krypton where I'll have my way with you in the house of Jor El. **

**Klaus: My metal suit isn't the only reason why they call me Iron Man. **

**Klaus: Once you've awakened the Hulk, I'm going to pound into you like Thor's mighty hammer, making you so wet that even Aquaman would drown in your sweet and ample juices. **

Her gaping mouth turns to a sultry smile as she ponders his last text. The anticipation of him doing all those things and more is making her knees grow weak. Klaus keeps surprising her more and more. Now what? Does she respond? Does she tease him back?

"Who you talkin' to?" Rebekah interrupts her musing.

"Uhh..."

_Your filthy, naughty brother. _

"Klaus," she says and swallows nervously. Talk about awkward.

"Oh, tell him hi and that we're having a brilliant time."

Caroline nods and Bekah turns back to help Bonnie with her purchases. They head out of the dressing room and toward the register when she sees something out of the corner of her eye. She walks over to the shoe section of the store and finds a pair of tall, white high-heeled boots. She picks them up and bites her bottom lip before a mischievous smile creeps up. "Hey Bonnie?" she calls to get the girl's attention.

"Yeah?" she calls back from the register.

"You think you could help me out with something?"

Caroline grabs her phone and begins to text Klaus back. He has no idea what he's about to come home to.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Oh my God, Kol! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU?" Klaus reaches to grab whatever he can of his little brother, with full intent of pulverizing him completely into the backseat.

"What?" the little brother shrugs and shrinks further back in his seat and away from Klaus' grasp. "You hadn't responded, and so I thought I would help you out."

"I just went to the bathroom and grabbed a soda!" he screams at the imbecile. "I can't believe you did this?!"

Klaus stares at his phone in disbelief. Four messages sent. Four unbelievably perverted and inappropriate messages sent to Caroline.

"You don't even know what she'll say, maybe she liked it!"

Klaus turns around again to throttle his brother when Elijah presses a firm hand to his shoulder. "He's obviously done something that deserves your retaliation, Klaus, but if you could please wait until we are home and I am not driving to beat him senseless, I would appreciate it," Elijah says using his authoritative and elder brother tone.

Klaus turns around and slams back into his seat, running a hand down his face and trying to clear the blinding rage from his mind. He needs to fix this. He needs to tell Caroline that it was Kol who sent those messages. But what if she finds that even worse? What if she's even more humiliated by the fact that Kol read her private messages to him?

It doesn't matter. He would rather deal with the consequences of Kol's indiscretion than have her think that he would say something so...so...so Kol like.

He slides his phone on and begins to type when his phone buzzes and a message comes back from Caroline. He sighs and shakes his head, expecting the worst. Instead, his nervous and palpitating heart moves south and a different muscle begins to palpitate when he reads her message. He's pleasantly surprised to see a sultry message of her own, beginning with an 'LOL' and ending with a winky face.

**Caroline: LOL. That's some hot nerdy talk. I am soooo ready for Thor's hammer, you have no idea. Hurry home, Superman. ;)**

He turns to Elijah and smirks. "You think you can drive a little faster?"

* * *

**Woo Hoo! White boots! Hmmm, I wonder what Caroline is up to!? **

**As always, love your reviews! Let me know what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**As promised...smutty smut! Ha! Can you all do me the smallest of favors for me and just understand that "protection" is implied. K...thanks! xoxo  
**

**Thanks to livingdeadblondegirl, klarolineepiclove, and a-little-blonde-distraction for reading and loving! If you all aren't following these beauties on Tumblr...you should. They're fantastic!**

**Thanks for all the reviews!  
**

* * *

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After returning home exactly when Elijah promised they would and not a minute earlier or later, Klaus is hastily walking toward the shop. After spending the last hour in the car looking at Caroline's last text, then at the clock, and then at the speedometer, he cursed Elijah for not driving at least five miles over the speed limit.

"There are limits on roads for a reason, Niklaus."

Even if they arrived earlier, it wouldn't have mattered. He received a text from Bonnie, informing him that there is a money matter that needs to be resolved immediately sitting on his desk at the shop. Something about a refund from one of their distributors and they need it to be fixed tonight and...she wasn't exactly clear. What is clear, is how inconvenient it is that he has to go to the shop when he has a waiting Caroline back at her apartment.

Klaus slips into the darkened comic book shop grumbling about never being able to take time off without some sort of crisis happening. Whether big or small, it never fails. He walks behind the front counter and notices the light is still on in his office. He does a double take when he sees a shadow move across the bottom of the door frame.

His chest tightens and he freezes in panic, watching the shadow continue to move. It must be Bonnie or one of the other employees, he rationalizes.

"Hello?" he calls out and watches the shadow freeze and then fade away.

With the lack of response from the intruder, he looks around the room for any sort of weapon to protect himself with. They're not a violent family and honestly the shop has never been a place that thieves or vandals have actually been interested in, so what would be the point of owning protection? Kol had a bat once, but it took one time for Kol to get scared and swing away, breaking a glass case and the valuables inside for them to decide it wasn't such a great idea. However, Klaus wishes he would've kept the bat, instead of gripping the green lightsaber he's holding now.

_Maybe the green glow will distract the thief,_ he thinks and switches the lightsaber to on; illuminating the door and reaching for the handle.

He slowly turns the handle and decides to surprise the thief by throwing the door open wide and jumping in with the lightsaber poised threateningly above his head.

"Auughh," he screams and shakes the toy vehemently, looking around for the culprit.

Instead of seeing a frightened crook, he sees a pair of long white boots decorating a familiar pair of long legs, accompanied by a soft giggle and a wide-eyed Caroline. Caroline is sitting on his desk, her crossed legs peeking out of a long white cape with fur around the neck. Her blonde locks are curled over her shoulders and her beautiful face seems to shimmer under the incandescent glow of the lone desk lamp.

"Caroline," he says and lowers the lightsaber quickly to the ground. "What are you doing here?"

She leans forward and pushes off of the desk, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she lands on her feet. She runs a finger up to the satin bow around her neck, and begins to pull at it. "I'm not sure who Caroline is," she croons. "The only two people I see in this room are you and me...The White Queen." She takes a dramatic pause before he watches the satin cloak drop to the floor, unveiling the tiny garments underneath. His heart stops, and as the lightsaber in his hand clatters to the ground, the one in his pants rises to full staff. He lets out a half gasp half laugh at the sight of her.

"Oh my God...you're role playing," he says in complete shock. "You're role playing Emma Frost," he tells her again, unable to believe his own words. "In my office...you're role playing Emma Frost in my office..."

"Well...yeah," Caroline shrugs and lazily sways toward him.

From the thigh high boots, to the small underwear and bursting corset, it truly is as if he has the real White Queen standing right in front of him. She stops mere inches from him and runs her finger down his jawline and leans in close to his mouth. He can feel her steamy breath on his lips and her breasts lightly heaving against him. She looks at his mouth and he catches her blue irises peering up at him through thick fenced lashes before she whispers, "So...what was it you were going to do to me again? Something about Thor's hammer..."

He feels the heat creep up to his cheeks when he thinks of the texts that Kol had sent. He should really tell her the truth. It would be dishonest to gain any sort of reward from his brother's treachery.

_Oh my God, would you listen to yourself, you sound exactly like Elijah._

Kol may have sent those messages but it's not as if he wasn't thinking them.

She turns around and presses her back into him and runs a hand behind her to grasp the side of his neck. She smiles when she feels his erection move up and down the small of her back as she shimmies. She makes her moves slow and deliberate and moans softly when his hands grab hold of her waist and he leans down to kiss her shoulder.

The way she's moving, it's as though she's dancing to a silent tune. She bends her knees and drags her body down before popping back up and pushing her ass into his waist. He groans and decides this is an opportunity to show her exactly what he would do if he could have his way with Emma Frost.

She looks over her shoulder and bites her bottom lip and says, "What are you waiting for, Thor?"

"You should know that Thor completely ruined Emma Frost," he tells her and pushes her forward.

"Oh yeah? How so?" she asks and her palms flatten against the desk in front of her.

"During one of the many battles between the X-men and the Avengers," he begins to explain and loops his fingers around her panties. He drags them slowly down her hips and thighs, and continues, "Thor and Emma had a face-off."

"Sounds intriguing," she purrs. "Tell me more."

He runs his hand down her bare back and massages her ass before leaning into her and pulling her up into a standing position. He trails kisses down her neck and along her bare shoulders before plucking a finger along the corset strings on her back. He loosens the first string with one hand and runs the other hand down the front of her. He takes a moment to admire her skin beneath his fingertips and smiles when he sees her delicate touches. She has sprayed herself with some sort of shimmer, giving her skin the illusion of diamonds. He loosens the second string and leans forward to run his lips and tongue along her neck. He murmurs to her, "I see you're wearing your diamonds tonight," and his hand skims down her arm.

She softly chuckles, "I'm so glad you noticed." She turns her neck back to face him and pulls him down into the first kiss of the evening. His tongue immediately makes its way past her lips and mingles with hers. Her mouth opens wider, and she revels in the memory of last night and how he tasted. His hand is working diligently at the corset but he's loosened it enough now that his other hand is able to slip underneath. She moans in his mouth as his hand palms her breast and she breaks from his kiss and asks, "So what happened between Thor and Emma."

She's growing anxious for Thor's hammer but he's going to make her wait. And he shows her as much when his fingers move down her stomach and invade between her thighs. She arches her back and whimpers, "What happened?" she asks him again and turns her neck again to face him. She moves a foot on top of the desk chair, giving him better access to her pleasure points.

"Well," he starts and hears her breath hitch as he slowly massages her clit. "After a lengthy amount of bantering between the two, Emma finally says too much."

"Uh-oh, what did I say?" Caroline gasps, continuing her little game of charades.

"Well, love, you teased me about not being man enough," Klaus growls taking on Thor's persona and continuing his ministrations between her legs.

"Oh, but you're a god, how dare I speak to you that way." She leans against Klaus and brings his mouth to hers once more. He undoes the last corset string and it falls to the floor, leaving Caroline in nothing but bare skin and tall white boots. "Please tell me that...you punish...me," she asks him between pleasure filled gasps, as he moves his fingers between her folds deepening the pressure and sliding a finger inside of her.

"Oh I'm going to punish you alright," he says and rocks with her as his finger moves in and out. His other hand grazes down her sides, and his palm rolls across her breast, playing with her nipple between his fingers. She wraps both hands around his neck and leans back into him, kissing him deeply and whining when his finger picks up its pace. His thumb works roughly against her while he continues to move in and out of her, his finger getting soaked more and more with each pump.

The ache between her thighs increases and she's so close to coming. His finger doesn't stop and before she can even process what's happening, he's inserting another one. Two fingers riding her walls, curling deep inside her and leaving her speechless and breathless with every movement. She grabs hold of his neck tighter and thrust her hips forward as he moves his fingers in. His thumb is moving rapidly against her and it's when he slows the rhythm of his thumb to a gentle patter but continues the fervent pumping of his fingers that her senses are on overload and she completely lets go. Her eyes roll back and she screams out nothing in particular, just her appreciations for a job well done.

He lets her go and she spins around taking no time in removing his shirt and tossing it to the side. She flinches a little when she hears his glasses clatter to the floor with this shirt. "Sorry," she winces but continues to remove his pants as well.

"They're fine," he tells her and removes her hands from his belt and spins her back around. "But...Thor is going to have to punish you even more now."

"That's right," she says, her voice shaking with anticipation. "You never did tell me how Thor punished Emma."

"I think you have a pretty good idea already," he lets his pants drop to the floor and he pulls her back to him.

She licks her lips and closes her eyes as she feels his dick move between her thighs and play between her folds. "Tell me...did he use his hammer on her?"

Klaus smirks and situates himself nicely behind her. "You know he did!" He pushes her down and her palms rest gently on the table in front of her once more. He's throbbing against her, as if her warm, sweet center is calling out to him. Their positioning would show him as the dominant, but it is clear that Caroline is the rightful owner of Mjölner, and he is just its servant. He wants to give it to her again and again, to feel her tremor and lose control every time they make love.

He hears her begin to whimper and he knows it's time. He rests the tip at her entrance and tells her, "Thor is a god," and pushes deep inside her.

"Yes...mmm...yes, you are!"

He pulls out of her slowly but keeps his throbbing tip inside of her. He lingers for a moment and slams back into her. "He doesn't put up with mere mortals."

"That's all I am," she agrees and moves her hips in a circular motion. "I need you to punish me faster...harder!"

"Then that's what I'll do."

He grabs her by the hips and guides her forward and then back. Slowly at first, but quickly picking up momentum. Her voice gets louder and her need grows deeper as she screams out. "Please don't stop. Tell me what Thor does to Emma."

"He rushes toward her with his hammer high in the air..." He throws his fist in the air as if holding that hammer high above his head as he pounds deeper and harder inside her.

"Yes, what does he do with that hammer?" she asks breathlessly. "What does he do?"

The nerdiness behind their current throes of passion, is more than Klaus could have ever dreamed. A beautiful blonde woman, dressed as Emma Frost, wanting him to talk dirty to her and fuck her from behind. This doesn't happen to mere mortals...this happens to gods. And in this moment, that's exactly how he feels. Like a god of Asgard. Like a _fucking god_ of Asgard!

"He takes that hammer and he slams it into her." He grits his teeth and does just that, slamming into her over and over again.

"Yes," her voice becomes more frantic as her walls begin to clench tight around him. He's going to make her come again, but he won't come with her. No. He is a fucking god of Asgard, and he will make her come three times. By the gods...he will make her come thrice!

Her voice is like a trumpet when she comes, sounding off in triumph as if rejoicing his victorious return from the battlefield. She leans forward further on the desk, her cheek pressed against the cool desk. She lifts up on her elbow and peers back at him. "That was pretty amazing."

"I'm not quite done with you," he laughs.

_A god. _

He turns her around and places her on the desk and she giggles and wraps her "fuck me" white boots around his waist. She leans forward and kisses him deeply, and runs her hands through his hair. She holds onto him tightly and her head falls back, exposing her neck, as he moves gently back inside of her. He starts at the bottom and licks the entire length of her neck, nipping here and there with his teeth. He pushes her back and leans over her picking up his pace once more.

She reaches to her sides and grabs hold of whatever she can. Paper crinkling in her fingers as he pumps in and out, his teeth gritted. She reaches up and grabs the necklace dangling in front of her and pulls him down for a kiss. His mouth muffles the sounds of pleasure that are now vibrating against his tongue. Just a simple "mmhmm...mmhmm," is the only audible noise he can make out. It's enough to let him know what he's doing has her approval and when he pushes deeper her mouth breaks free and so does her voice.

"Fuck me!"

He looks down at her and smirks, such a naughty word for such a pretty mouth. Seeing her below him, completely lost in her desire. Completely enthralled in what he's doing to her, he's certain even Thor would not be able to withstand the desire to lose himself completely in her. He places a hand above her head and the other cups her ass, pulling her up high and off the desk.

"Yeah...yeah...yeah," she says and he looks her right in the eye.

"Are you going to come again for me, Caroline?" he asks her gently.

She nods, keeping her hands wrapped tightly around the back of his head and her forehead pressed against his. "Are you going to come with me, Klaus?" she whispers.

Klaus doesn't hold anything back at this point. She's about to let go again and she's invited him to fall with her. Even gods of Asgard need to stop at some point, and if her cries didn't indicate her release, then the way she clutches tightly around him and he begins to slide easier in and out of her does.

She soaks him completely and he follows her lead, screaming out and finding his own liberation. He falls down atop her and she runs her hands through his hair as he nestles into her breasts. He realizes they got very little attention and so he begins to press gentle kisses on them.

"You are so beautiful," he tells her. "Dressed as Emma or not, you're beautiful."

"You're not so bad yourself, Klaus Mikaelson." She smiles up at him and he picks her up off the desk. He walks to the far wall and slams his fist against it. She screeches a bit and clings tighter to him when a bed startles her and falls to the ground.

He throws her down and kisses her again, "In case you wanted to stay the night," he says.

"Well isn't this convenient?" she giggles.

* * *

**Holy gods of Asgard! **

**Thanks again for reading! As always, I'd love your review and to know what you think! Next chapter we're getting a little Bonnie reveal! Woo-hoo! **

**Don't forget to follow me on tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**Helloooo! So sorry it took me so long to update. I needed this chapter to be perfect! And because of my beautiful betas, livingdeadblondegirl, a-little-blonde-distraction, klarolineepiclove, and the beautiful sweetklausoline...i think we've achieved it, or close to it. LOL. **

**Well, I hope you guys like this chapter. It's a fun one.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

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"I had a bed installed because I was spending so many late nights here," he tells her and turns on his side to face her.

He smiles at the familiar afterglow that she's emanating; a brilliant smile and a sort of dreamy glaze over her eyes. She is lying on her stomach and propped up on her elbows, a few tendrils of her blonde hair are scrunched in her hand and the rest are cascading down her bare back. A single white sheet is draped across her backside and with the white boots finally discarded, her tiny bare feet are dangling and swaying back and forth behind her.

"Are you sure it wasn't because of all the crazy one night stands you were bringing back here?" she nudges him and gives him a sly wink before sinking into the large white pillow in front of her.

He lets out a chuckle and rolls his eyes playfully. "Oh yes, the shop is quite the chick magnet. Once I brought them here they were putty in my hands."

The two share another laugh and Caroline props herself back up again, this time bringing the sheet to her chest and sitting on the edge of the bed; exposing her bare back to Klaus. He runs his fingers down her spine and she smiles back at him over her shoulder.

"Your office is pretty neat," she tells him and stands to her feet taking the sheet with her. "You've got a lot of really great artwork."

"Were you snooping, Caroline?" he asks her in a playful tone.

"Maybe a little," she says with a shrug. "I was in here for a while before you finally turned up."

She moves over to the desk, her hands skimming over the paperwork until finally halting. She grabs a sketchbook that is familiar to Klaus and a small smile perks up at the corner of his mouth.

"This one is very interesting," she looks back over at him, "Do you mind?" she asks him and gestures at the book.

He shakes his head and laughs, "You've already seen them."

"Well, I know, I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you. They're your drawings, right?" She looks down at the book in her hand and up at him shyly. Feeling a little unsure of herself in that moment. It is, afterall, his private room, and she isn't sure how open he is about his artwork.

"Caroline, I would be honored if you looked at my drawings," he tells her.

She turns around and leans back against the desk excited to take another look. She flips through the first couple of pages until finding the one that stood out to her earlier. "This one," she flips it around to show him.

"Can't really see," he offers and squints his eyes to make out the picture she's attempting to show.

Caroline glances around on the floor until she spots his shirt, his glasses tangled up inside of it. She picks them up and holds them to the light to be sure they aren't ruined or scratched and then quickly brings them to Klaus. He reaches for them but she places them on his face herself. "They okay?" she asks after getting them situated and running her fingers through a curl atop his head.

"They're just fine," he nods and adjusts them a smidge, blushing at her simple gesture.

Caroline sits down beside him and he cradles in close, wrapping an arm around her waist, to look at the sketchbook she still has in her hand. She flips back to the page and holds it to the light. "This one, Klaus, who's this?"

Klaus looks at the character on the page, the one that has been his blood, sweat and tears for the past two years. The character that has haunted his imagination and has been shifted and recreated so many times that he's lost count. The only thing that is certain is what he is and what his name is.

"That...is Nik," he tells her and grabs the sketchbook from her hand to take a deeper look. Not a bad drawing. Not one of his best, but you can clearly see who he is. Black pants, with a gray Henley, an array of necklaces and a dark black jacket. His eyes are yellow and he's flashing a pair of deadly fangs that are stained slightly pink.

"And who is Nik?" She curls her feet up onto the bed and looks down at the drawing. "Is he a monster?"

"What do you think?" he asks her honestly and purses his lips and looks up at her. "Does he look like a monster?"

She grabs the book and furrows her brow, taking a deeper look at the sketch. "Well..." she begins. "I suppose when you first look at him you see a monster..." she looks down at Klaus for approval.

"Go on," he nods, asking her to continue.

"Well...there's something in his eyes. I mean, I know they're yellow, but he looks...sad...lonely. He looks really sad and lonely."

Klaus watches her examine his drawing. The way her eyebrows are knitted together and she bites her bottom lip. She brings her hand up and traces it over the drawing before peering down at him again.

"Is he sad and lonely?"

"Yeah," he tells her bluntly. "He's got a lot of family and trust issues."

"What is he?"

"Hmm, how about I let you read a little bit of who he is and you tell me what you think." He picks her up by the waist and she giggles when he tosses her to his other side. He steps out of bed and walks to the desk and opens the top drawer. He pulls out another book, and flips through a few pages. "Here," he offers her the book. "Start at the top."

"Is this a comic book, Klaus?"

"Yeah." He runs his hands through his hair and Caroline takes a moment to admire her new lover. His boxers sit low on his hips and she can see the muscles in his long torso flex as he raises his hand above his head. He is turning out to be the best thing that's ever happened to her. He's handsome and sexy as hell and now she's discovered something else about him. He's an artist and an amazing one at that.

She brings her attention back to the page and begins to read.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

_He roams the edge of the woods stalking the shadows. His senses are on overload as the full moon shines ominously upon him, its energy spurring him forward toward his next kill. He waits patiently for his victim and a wicked grin forms on his face when, at last, he sees him ._

_"No more running, Ray," he growls and propels himself forward at inhuman speed. He has been hiding for too long and Nik has finally caught up with him._

_He can hear the blood rushing through his victim's veins long before he reaches him. He pushes the man into a dark alley, grasping his throat and holding him above his head._

_"Well, well, well, fancy meeting you here, Mate," he taunts._

_"Nik-" the man gurgles and holds onto Nik's hands trying to release the pressure around his neck._

_"Ah, so you remember me."_

_Ray watches as his captor's blue eyes begin to fade and a threatening gold takes over._

_"You're...different," he gasps. "You're...you're eyes they're- not right," he yelps still struggling for breath._

_"So you noticed." He slams the man against the wall and watches him crumble to the ground._

_Ray cowers against the bricks and rubs his neck. "What are you?"_

_"You know what I am...or what I've become," he sneers._

_"A...a vampire?" he shudders._

_Nik stalks closer to Ray, causing him to creep further back, trying to get as far away as he can. He looks up and down the darkened alley, hoping to find an escape, but there is none to be found. There is no escape._

_Nik crouches down in front of him, and tilts his head. "Oh but I am something far worse," he says calmly, causing Ray to gulp at the sickening venom behind his words. Nik leans in closer, and hears Ray's heart begin to quicken. "You see...I've got a little bit of vampire, a little bit of wolf..."_

_Ray's eyes widen in fear, as he realizes what Nik has accomplished. "You broke it," he whispers. "You're...you're a-"_

_"A hybrid, right," he finishes. "A different kind of monster." Nik descends upon Ray, lifting him to his feet and sinking his fangs deep into his throat. There is no time to scream as Nik sucks the life from his miserable body before dropping his lifeless form to the ground. He revels in the coppery taste of his blood, its power coursing down his throat and strengthening him to his core. He brings a thumb to the corner of his mouth and wipes the remaining drops of Ray's blood from his lips._

_"Nice seeing you again, Ray," he chuckles._

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Ewwww," Caroline says and Klaus laughs at her twisted grimace. "Why's it gotta be so graphic?"

"Well...it is a graphic novel," he says sarcastically.

Caroline scoffs at his play on words.

"So, what do you think?"

"Well...aside from all the blood and stuff, I like it." She tucks her feet underneath herself and sits Indian style beside him, continuing to flip through the pages. "So he's half vampire and half werewolf, is that right?"

"Yep."

"And he's broken some curse?"

"That's right."

"Hm."

"Hm, what?" he asks her as she lingers over the last drawing and its words.

"Well, it just seems a little...dark," she finally decides on. "I mean, obviously Nik has a reason for killing this man..."

"In a way, yes. Ray works for his father."

Klaus continues to explain the story he's been toying with for so long now. He sticks with the basic premise of revenge. The revenge Nik has against his father, and the childhood scars that he left him with. As he explains the plot to Caroline, he watches her face turn from intrigue, to confusion, and then to contemplation. He can tell that she's feeling the exact same way that all of the publishers have been feeling.

"You're not the first person to tell me it's too dark." He settles in beside her and grabs the book from her hand. "Which is why I haven't worked on it for a while."

"Oh but you should," she assures him. "The artwork is so amazing and the plot is pretty cool too." She leans up against him to look at the pictures a bit more. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he says and flips to the next page.

"All that stuff about Nik having a horrible childhood and his father..." she trails off, not sure how to phrase her question. "Is it...is it based off of your life...I mean...did your father..."

Her question is cut-off with an uproar of laughter. "No...no..." Klaus shakes his head and waves his hand in front of him. "My father is a history professor at Cambridge."

"Oh." Caroline looks down at her hands and shakes her head.

"I'm afraid the worst thing that has happened to our family is a divorce." He places a hand over Caroline's and continues to look at his sketchbook. "Father stayed in England and Mother brought us here."

Caroline grips Klaus' hand and nuzzles back into him. "What brought your mother to the US?"

"She is a professor as well, and was offered a job at Yale. She and my littlest brother, Henrik, live in Connecticut."

"Do you see them often?"

"We see them on holidays and birthdays, the usual."

"And what about your dad? Do you see him?"

"Occasionally, when he's tired of dreary England, he'll come visit. Or we'll go to him. We don't worry too much about him, since he's got our older brother, Finn, living nearby."

"Holy cow, how many brothers and sisters do you have?" Caroline sits up, astonished at this new information.

Klaus places the sketchbook down on his lap and adjusts his glasses back on the bridge of his nose. "Just the six of us."

"Just the six of you? I have six family members altogether, and that includes, my mom and dad, an estranged uncle, one living grandparent on both sides, and a cousin that I never see." She giggles and shakes her head. "I can't even imagine having one sibling, let alone five. That's nuts."

"It was nuts," he laughs.

Caroline tilts the sketchbook back up and turns the next page. "So, what are you going to do about all this darkness?"

"I'm not sure, all I know is that it's missing something." It's his turn to furrow his brow and contemplate his work. He runs a finger between his lips and ponders what he already knows, and what he could possibly do to improve it. He spent a number of sleepless nights in this exact pose. If he were his character Nik in the flesh he'd be brooding over a fireplace, staring into the flames and searching for answers.

"Well," Caroline's voice breaks his concentration. She grabs the book and places it on the floor and straddles him at the same time. "Whatever it's missing, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Her actions work as a much needed distraction as the white sheet drifts away and pools at her waist revealing a perfect pair of breasts before him. He slides his hands up her slim torso and across her nipples before he palms her in his hands. Her fingers link around his wrists and she moans softly, rolling her head back to show her appreciation as he massages.

Before long, he's forgotten about Nik and his quest of revenge, and the two of them easily fall back into a familiar rhythm.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Listen here, Bonnie. We stayed late just so we could meet you here and help you get ready!" Caroline scolds her.

"I know, but-"

"No, buts! You are marching your sorry ass into that store and showing off what you got!" Kat demands and points a finger next door.

Bonnie's been hiding out in the lingerie shop for the better part of an hour while Kat and Caroline finish up her makeup. Nothing like smoky eyes and pink lip gloss to round out the entire look. They were a little afraid of what Bonnie would show up in after they spent so much time helping her wardrobe yesterday. They were pleasantly surprised to see her show up in the last outfit they had her try on, only instead of a short skirt, she's wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, and a pair of red peep toe pumps. Her stomach is still peeking out under her Avengers t-shirt and she's got her suspenders on too.

Caroline steps back after finishing the final touches of her eye makeup. "Wow, Bon, you really look amazing."

Kat grabs Bonnie by the hand and drags her over to the dressing room mirror. Bonnie is once again completely surprised by the feminine girl in the mirror. She smiles widely and turns to the girls, a small shimmer of tears pooling in her eyes. "Thank you!"

"No crying, bitch, you'll smudge our masterpiece," Kat warns her and takes a tissue from her purse and dabs at her cheeks.

Bonnie laughs and lifts her chin up high. She feels fantastic. She feels like she could take on the world. For once in her life she feels as fabulous as Rebekah. Who knew all it would take is a pair of false lashes and sexy shoes?

"I'm ready," she tells them.

Katherine offers Bonnie her arm and she takes it.

"Excellent! Let's go show you off."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

In the four years, three months and two weeks that the Mikaelson family has owned this shop, never have they encountered the likes of Caroline Forbes and Katherine Petrova. Sure, they've viewed girls like them from afar or gazed at them on their comic book pages, but to have flesh and blood, hotties move in next door and actually converse with them...well...that just didn't happen. But, not only has it happened, the Mikaelson boys have come to procure the pair of them for their very own. Well, at least two of the Mikaelson boys...

Poor Kol has been left without a sexy temptress for himself.

But why? He's a good looking guy, he's funny and he has a certain 'je ne sais quoi', it's not his fault if the ladies can't handle him. But if Elijah can get Katherine, then it just proves to him even more that the geekier you are the hotter your girlfriend is most definitely going to be. So he'll continue to wait. He'll continue to hold out for a Katee Sackhoff, or a Summer Glau, or a Jennifer Lawrence.

Yes, Jennifer Lawrence.

_Katniss can start a revolution in my pants any day!_

Kol continues to organize the comics in front of him, lost in his own thoughts. So they chose Elijah and Klaus, that doesn't mean there isn't someone for him too. That doesn't mean that he is meant to live a nominal existence with just his hand to keep him company. No. She's out there somewhere. He knows it.

"Kol?" His sister's voice cuts through his train of thought.

"What, Bekah?"

"You want to have dinner with Bonnie and I tonight?"

"Perfect," he scoffs and rolls his eyes. "That's exactly what I want to do, have another night out with my sister and the wiccan."

Rebekah folds her arms and glares at him. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head and continues to straighten the comics in front of him. "You know what my problem is, Bekah?" He turns to his sister.

"That you're a sad little boy who doesn't see a good thing when he has it right in front of his face?"

"What? No," he responds; the meaning behind her words going right over his head. "Is it too much to ask that I find a girl? Am I that bad of a guy that I'm not entitled to a sexy little muffin of my own?"

Honestly, Bekah thinks. What in the world does Bonnie see in him?

Don't get her wrong, she loves her brother. Kol is impossibly witty and quite smart, but when it comes to women he's as daft as a brush. What happens when he finally sees the new and improved Bonnie and he finally realizes how stupid he's been? She'll just fall into his arms and the horny sex-crazed boy will have his "sexy little muffin". But...will he appreciate her? If he can't appreciate how amazing she is now...

Her thoughts trail off at the sound of the doorbell. She sees Bonnie walk in, looking as beautiful as always but with only superficial improvements. What's underneath is still the same. Sweet, special Bonnie, that deserves someone just as sweet and unique to love her any way she comes. Bekah wishes in that moment that Bonnie could see that there is more out there than Kol. But, on the other hand, maybe Kol will surprise her. He's always treated her like a sister, but maybe this is just what he needs to realize he's always cared more for her...that, perhaps, he's always loved her. Just as she has always loved...

She nudges Kol beside her and when he looks her way she juts her chin out toward the door.

"What?" he asks and does a double take when he sees the vision standing there. Kol's eyes widen in disbelief and his heartbeat quickens. If this were a cartoon then Kol would be the guy that turns into a wolf at the sight of a pretty girl. His eyes would jump out of their sockets, his heart would begin to beat outside his chest and he would howl at the moon. "Is that..." he starts to say and swallows the lump in his throat.

"Bonnie," Rebekah tells him.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Oh God, I don't think I can do this," Bonnie whispers to the girls behind her.

"Yes, you can," Kat says and pushes her forward toward Kol.

"You are a strong, beautiful woman, Bonnie. Go and get what you want!"

Bonnie tries her hardest to suppress the butterflies fluttering and growing in her stomach. Nobody realizes how big this moment really is. Nobody understands what she's about to do. She's about to step outside her comfort zone. The nice comfortable bubble that she's been living in her entire life.

But her new look has given her a new confidence and she knows what she needs to do. She strides quickly toward the other side of the room; keeping eye contact with Rebekah, who is nodding her head and encouraging her forward.

She can see Kol - his mouth dropped open and his eyes bugging out of his head. She smiles and shakes her head, never dreaming that she could get this sort of reaction out of him. For once, she's the sexy girl that he's always drooled over. For once she's the object of his affection. And she knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that she can have him if she wants him.

If only she wanted him...

She takes her final step, and ignoring the dumbstruck, sex-crazed boy beside her, she reaches for the one person that has cared for her from the beginning. The one person that has made her feel special and beautiful before the eyeliner and lip gloss. She runs her fingers through the long blonde locks of her best friend and with no further pause she grips the back of her friend's neck and crashes their lips together.

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***RUNS AWAY AND HIDES FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF DISAPPOINTED KENNETT FANS!***

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	14. Chapter 14

**Hi Guys! I hope you're all still with me after such a long time between posting. I had a lot of RL stuff come up and I wanted this chapter to be perfect. I think it is...hopefully.**

**A fair warning: there's not a ton of Klaroline in this chapter, but there were so many different reactions that I wanted to write and this chapter is waaaay shorter than my usual, but this is where I wanted to end it. We're heading toward the angsty stuff (well...as angsty as this story can get) and near the conclusion. **

**Anyhoo. Thanks to all my lovely Betas, you guys are the best!**

**Enjoy!**

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There is a single thought since the dawning of time itself that has entered every adolescent boy's mind and stayed with them through their entire life. It's a certain fantasy that they pray and wish to be a part of from the day the vision enters until the day they lay on their deathbed. In fact, it's probably on a multitude of bucket lists and near the top, at that. It's an anomaly to women but a moment of pure bliss for most men.

Two women kissing.

Kol Mikaelson is no different. Witnessing two women kissing in person, right in front of him, has got to be number two on his bucket list, falling right underneath a date with Mila Kunis. But, unfortunately for Kol, this is not what he had in mind. This is all wrong..well...half of the equation is alright, Bonnie looks unbelievably fantastic, but the other half is a travesty. His sister is desiccating a young boy's dream; perverting an image that is meant to be beautiful and special. And now, the fantasy will no longer be able to aid him in his quest for release and a goodnight's sleep.

But Kol, isn't really that shallow. He's not completely out of touch with his emotions, and he doesn't always hide behind a crass demeanor to cover up his true feelings. He knows what's bothering him, and it's not the fact that Bonnie is kissing Rebekah, it's the underlying truth that he wishes she was kissing him.

This is so typically Kol, never can see a good thing when it's staring him right in front of his face. Bonnie is one of his closest friends. They laugh together and bicker over stupid things. They've had an unhealthy amount of debates over comic book characters and spent hours questing together; just the two of them. He's shared more about himself with her then he has with anyone ever.

Maybe he's delusional and it's always been women for Bonnie, but he could swear there were moments between the two of them, a sparkle of something deeper than just friendship. Whatever epiphanies he's having, it doesn't matter now, Bonnie has clearly never felt that way about him.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

_This is new_.

Well, not the kissing. Rebekah is all too familiar with kissing. But, kissing a woman is something completely different. However trite and cliche Katy Perry's lyrics are, they are making complete and perfect sense to her now.

She's kissing a girl, and...she likes it.

Rebekah's dabbled with the idea before. Once in high school, when she was a bit too schnockered for her own good, she thought about what it would be like to kiss her friend Rose. It almost happened too, until a fight in the other room broke their trance, and her behemoth of a boyfriend Alexander was throwing a mate of his through a window. The raw testosterone that he displayed, quickly broke her momentary curiosity and she was back to men and never looked back.

As the two girls continue in their liplock a silence falls through the room, well...apart from the sound of wheezing and the echo of inhalers from the patrons. Although the Mikaelson boys are truly scarred for life, the rest of the room just placed a mental check on their bucket list.

"Did you see this coming?" Caroline turns to Kat and asks.

"Are you kidding me? Nobody saw this coming," she replies, still shaking her head in disbelief.

Caroline laughs when she sees Klaus standing behind the register, holding his glasses up to the light and wiping them clean with a tissue. He's obviously decided there is no better time to blur his vision of the scene in front of him than at this exact moment. Kol seems too shocked to speak. On the one hand, it serves him right. She has to admit that the idea of Bonnie liking Kol seems to favor the horny Brit much more than it does Bonnie. But on the other hand, she couldn't help but notice the small glimmer of disappointment in his eyes as he drops his gaze from the girls and runs a hand through his hair.

The bell chimes behind them and Elijah walks in, looking as dapper as ever. He hardly notices the silence and the scene that has everyone else captivated, and moves toward Katherine. He stares down at her and waits for her to glance up at him and when she doesn't he follows her gaze to the other side of the room.

"Katherine?"

"Yeah," Kat responds but doesn't look at him.

"Why are Bonnie and Rebekah kissing?"

Katherine laughs and grabs hold of his hand before finally looking up at him. "We're all wondering the same thing."

Elijah shrugs and turns his attention back to Kat. "Katherine?"

"Yeah?" she repeats.

"Would you like to have dinner with me this evening?"

She closes her eyes and chuckles. Only Elijah would be completely unphased by what's going on in the shop. "I would," she tells him and places a hand on his face, "But the ladies and I are going out for drinks tonight."

"Another time then," he nods and saunters back to the register and Klaus.

Caroline nudges Kat and says, "Should we interrupt, or..."

"Yeah, I'll do it."

Kat moves across the room to Bonnie and Rebekah, she clears her throat to get their attention.

"Ladies, as much as I would love to see someone actually die from arousal," she tells them and looks around the room at the gawking faces, "We should probably get going."

The girls finally separate with a loud pop of their lips and a quiet grumble from their audience. Bonnie smiles and grabs hold of Rebekah's hand, who in turn, smiles back and lets out a small giggle.

Rebekah's emotions are scattered and she's truly unsure of how she feels about Bonnie. It's a nice thought though, being with someone so caring and loving and that knows her so well, and who knew Bonnie could kiss like that?

Boys have always been trouble for Rebekah, since she was fourteen. In one summer she grew 6 inches taller and a full cup size bigger, and ever since then, it has never been a problem for Rebekah to find a boy to spend time with. Unfortunately, it meant heartache after heartache, since she was always the first to fall for them and they were quick to remind her that they didn't want anything more. Either that happened, or one of her brothers would interfere. Actually...that happened a lot more often than she cares to remember.

"Well...that was unexpected," she tells her newly confident friend.

"Good unexpected or bad unexpected?" Bonnie eyes Bekah.

"Good...really good," Rebekah winks and grabs Bonnie's hand and the two of them walk toward the front door, swinging their hands and sharing shy glances.

They pass by Elijah at the front counter and Rebekah notices a certain look on his face that she's all too familiar with. This particular look has been the bane of the Mikaelson siblings existence because it's usually followed by a highly inappropriate and honest comment. Like the time Elijah first met Alexander at a family dinner, and asked just before dessert, whether or not he and Rebekah had had intercourse yet.

Rebekah never brought her boyfriends to family dinner after that.

Elijah opens his mouth to speak when she throws out her finger in warning, letting him know that his commentary in this moment can wait. He closes his mouth quickly, for once getting the hint, and turns to Klaus for an explanation who just pats him on the shoulder.

Kat and Caroline follow behind but not before giving their boys a quick goodbye and a promise to see them later.

"Don't worry, Care and I will get the lowdown," Kat tells the guys and lifts herself on her tiptoes to give Elijah a quick kiss on the cheek.

Caroline walks around the counter and wraps her arms around Klaus' neck. "We'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll be here," he says and wraps his hands around her waist.

"Good," she says with a smile and presses her lips against his. She unlatches herself from him and drags her hand down his arm as she steps back and toward the door.

Klaus watches Caroline leave, the remnants of vanilla tingling his senses. It's the same scent that still lingers in his office, where he spent most of the morning working on his art, and latching onto her for inspiration. It's cliche and he knows it, but he can't help it. For the first time in a long time Klaus is excited about his graphic novel and Caroline is the reason. And when an artist finds his muse, he holds on for dear life and dives deep into his work, hopeful and expectant of what's to come out on the other side.

He continues to stare after her for a brief moment longer before a loud clap breaks through his concentration. A nearly bald 30 something with corduroys and a tucked in Star Wars t-shirt begins to applaud. Soon, the others follow, and the store is giving the two women a loud and uproarious send off; a thank you for fulfilling a lifelong dream. It's short lived, however, when the youngest Mikaelson boy hollers above them.

"Shut the fuck up!" Kol throws his hands out in front of him. "_That's_ my sister!"

* * *

**The geeks are slow clapping it out! LOL. **

**Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think here or find me on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels. **

**'Til next time! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi guys! First off...I'm so sorry for how long it took me to update. I think it's just going to take me a while to update with summer around the corner and my new job. But, if this shows you anything...I haven't given up on the story. =) **

**I hope you like this chapter. It's pretty silly and lots of girl talk!  
**

* * *

It's an average night at the local bar as the girls find their way through the crowd to a nearby booth. They don't consider themselves partiers by any means, but when they do venture out this is usually the place. Its low key atmosphere, and live music makes for a comfortable evening of cheap entertainment and even cheaper debauchery thanks to its awesome happy hour prices.

Caroline sees a few familiar faces, and smiles and waves when they acknowledge her and Katherine. The girls have started to gain a few local regulars at the lingerie shop and have definitely earned a place in the hearts of a few happy husbands/boyfriends in the process. One of those familiar faces heads in their direction with a tray in her hand and reaches in her apron to toss a few coasters on the table. "How's the lingerie life?"

"Hey Anna," Caroline says, "haven't seen you around the shop much. Don't tell me Vaughn's gotten tired of your little satin surprises." Caroline gives the small girl a knowing smile and a wink. Every time Anna's come in she's picked out something new for her boyfriend, and every time she's returned she's more excited than the last. No need to ask where she gets the pep in her step, Kat and Caroline are all too familiar with the afterglow of a brand new pair of panties. However, this time, Anna's shoulders slump and she sighs heavily.

"Ugh, don't even get me started," she huffs. "Turns out Vaughn liked the lingerie on the slut that lived next door to him more than on me."

"Oh my God!"

"No," Caroline says in disbelief.

"What a cocksucker!" Kat tells her and pats Anna's arm. "You want me to take him out?" she offers. "Cause, I know people."

"Oh Lord, Katherine," Caroline rolls her eyes. "Your uncle Boris doesn't count, no matter how many men you say he's killed."

"I'm just sayin'," she shrugs, "you mess with a Petrova and you get your man pouch handed to you on a silver platter."

"As much as I appreciate the gesture," Anna begins with a chuckle, "I'm really not all that bothered by it. He was a loser."

"Well, if you ever decide the world would be a better place without any of his offspring running around, you just let me know."

"Will do," Anna smirks. "So, what can I get you girls?"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After Anna returns with their drinks, along with a large plate of nachos, they dive right into the events of the evening. So many questions are lingering at the tip of Caroline and Kat's tongues. It isn't everyday that something like that happens, and Kat isn't about to let Bonnie get away without an explanation.

"I have to admit," Kat starts in on Bonnie and Rebekah, "that kiss was pretty unbelievable!" Kat takes an extra cheesy chip and pops it into her mouth. "You had every nerd in that shop standing in their own puddle of drool."

Bonnie lowers her chin and smirks over at Rebekah, the shy Bonnie making a brief appearance once again. She takes a small sip of her rum and coke before grabbing hold of Rebekah's hand.

Rebekah tenses for a moment, she is unaccustomed to the simple gesture from her friend, but then relaxes before entwining her fingers with Bonnie's. She's still not sure if this is something that she wants, but the kiss was really good and images of her high school friend Rose's perky lips keep flashing through her mind.

"So, you really _don't _like Kol," Caroline glances back and forth between the girls, still trying to figure out how she could've missed it. But then she reminds herself of Damon and how her gaydar was waaaay off then, so there's no reason why it couldn't be again.

"Oh, I like Kol," Bonnie says without blinking and takes another sip of her cocktail. "A lot actually." She glances at the table where she sets her drink and then stares off in no particular direction. She familiarizes herself momentarily with the old familiar feeling of rejection. Too many times she's heard Kol talk about the new sexy clerk at the supermarket, or the new barista at the coffee stand, or the same barely dressed jogger that runs by every evening. Even the woman that breastfeeds across the street gets more sexual attention from him than Bonnie ever did. So it was exhilarating to have that same familiar look casted over her, drinking her in and wanting to do all those things to her she's heard him say he'd do to other women.

Then she saw Bekah, who looked half excited and half sad as she approached Kol. Her best friend that had always been there for her and made her feel special compared to the guy next to her who only just noticed her. It wasn't that she had chosen Bekah over Kol, it was that, in that moment, she preferred to show Bekah how much she appreciated her friendship rather than give Kol exactly what he wanted.

Bonnie takes a ragged breath through her nostrils and shakes her head, bringing herself back to the present. She looks at Rebekah who is tilting her head with her brows furrowed in confusion.

"But..." she begins. "But you kissed me."

"I did."

"Like..._kissed _me, Bon."

"Yes, and you kissed me back Rebekah," she wiggles her eyebrows at her.

"Well...yeah," she says shyly. "But if you like Kol why did you kiss _me_?"

"Rebekah, you know your brother as well as I do. Did you really think that I would make this easy on him?"

It's clear to Bonnie that they still didn't understand her intentions and so she tries again. "Kol likes me too, he just didn't know it until he saw me looking like this," she says and gestures at her new look. "But, I'm not about to give into him. I'm not about to let him have me just because I changed into an image that he can accept. He needs to be..."

"Jealous," Caroline finishes her sentence and Bonnie nods.

It's taking Rebekah a little too long to put the pieces together but when the dots finally connect her face lights up as if an imaginary light bulb just flicked on above her head. "You...you kissed me to make him jealous," she says and lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank God!"

"Hey," Bonnie feigns offense and nudges her friend.

"What? I mean, besides the fact that you had me questioning my sexuality for a moment there, I gotta be honest..." Rebekah takes a deep breath before finishing her thought. "I like penis!"

"Yeah you do!" Kat nods and lifts her glass toward Rebekah. Rebekah glass clinks against Katherine's and the table uproars into laughter.

"Your _brother's_ penis," Caroline reminds Kat, which leaves the feisty brunette speechless and Caroline takes her own turn clinking her glass against Rebekah's.

"And what a glorious penis it is," Rebekah purrs leaving Katherine in shivers and the rest of the girls in stitches.

"Ha. ha," Kat says flatly, "might I remind you that you have two ladies here and possibly a third," she winks at Bonnie, "who have slept with your brothers?" This quiets Rebekah quickly but Kat doesn't stop, and she turns to the bubbly blonde beside her, "Hey Caroline, why don't you let Bekah know how you let the Boy Wonder put his robin in your nest again?"

"Oh my God," Rebekah bursts out in laughter, too amused by the euphemism to be upset with Kat. "That's just wrong."

"No, what's wrong is letting Batman discover your dark, wet cave, isn't that right Caroline?"

"Eww," Caroline says, trying not to act amused by her friend's little game but can't help but join in the laughter when Bonnie pipes up with one of her own.

"Hey Caroline, please tell me you made Aquaman suit up before he swam upstream?"

"Good one." Kat snorts with laughter and slaps a hand on the table, her brown curls dancing around her face as she rocks back and forth in her seat. She composes herself, wiping a stray tear from her eye; careful not to smudge her mascara. "We should be writing these down!"

"Hey Kat, can I ask you a question?" Rebekah asks after her own fit of giggles wanes.

"Shoot!" she tells her and pops a loaded chip in her mouth.

"How in the world did you and Elijah even happen?"

"Ya got me," Katherine shrugs. "We just get each other, I suppose."

Rebekah takes a sip of her spritzer and continues. "I mean, I'm grateful that he found someone, it's just...you have to imagine how surprised we were when we found out about you."

"Yeah, Elijah's sexuality was touch and go there for a while," Bonnie interjects and leans forward to claim a nacho. "You know...with his love for all things suits and his genuine disinterest in the female population."

Katherine laughs, "Well believe me, when the suit comes off his interest in _this_ woman," she points to herself, "leaves me weak in the knees and wet as a whistle."

"Good God," Bekah slaps her hand to her forehead. "I'm sorry I asked."

Katherine shrugs, "Just tellin' it like it is." She pops a single jalapeno in her mouth and takes a swig of her drink before turning to Caroline. "Enough about me though, I want to hear how last night went."

"Oh, it was good...it was _really_ good."

"Oh yeah?" Kat wiggles her eyebrows. "How good?"

Caroline drifts away toward the memory of Klaus frantically flipping her over on her knees and taking her from behind. His strong hand clutched in her hair and his other one grabbing hold of her ass. His hot and wet kisses on her neck while he pressed himself flush against her back and ran his hands between her legs. The taste of his pillow as she bit into it to muffle the orgasmic scream that ripped through her. Caroline's cheeks went pink as the memory of last night started a familiar flutter in her stomach and a tingle in her toes.

"Let me put it this way?" Caroline takes a sip of her drink and puts it down on the table. "The God of Thunder hammered the shit out of Emma Frost."

"Too much!" Rebekah puts a hand up and waves away the unpleasant thought.

"Yeah he did!" Kat giggles and her and Bonnie clink their glasses to Caroline's.

"Anna, a round of shots please?" Bekah hollers to the waitress.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Okay, but seriously though," Kat slurs and hiccups, leaning back in her seat. "That kiss was way too hot to not be real."

Bonnie looks at Kat and smiles, the alcohol causing a warm tingle to settle in her cheeks. "It _was _real. There isn't anyone I love more than Bekah, but that doesn't mean I'm _in_ love with Bekah." She looks over at her friend again and places her hand on her cheek. "You always -_hiccup_- made me feel beautiful no matter what I looked like."

"That's because you _are_ beautiful, and I love you too." Rebekah presses her forehead against Bonnie's and the two girls spend a moment looking fondly into each other's drunken expressions.

"It worked though," Caroline interjects.

"What worked?"

"Making Kol jealous," Caroline nods heavily, the alcohol sloshing around as her head bobs up and down. "Kol looked completely dumbfounded."

"The entire room looked dumbfounded," Kat chuckles.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Caroline asks Bonnie and leans forward to hear her master plan.

"To sit back and let Kol come to me," she smirks and raises her remaining shot in the air.

"And you think that'll work?"

"Yes," Bonnie and Rebekah say in unison.

"To deception!"

"To penises!"

"To suits and ties!"

"To the God of Thunder!"

_Clink._

* * *

**I would just like to end this by saying that this chapter is the reason that I had a hard time updating this story. I knew what I wanted to say and do but I also knew that it was going to split my readers down the middle. Let me remind you that, as much as I loooove writing Kalijah/Kennett/Bonekah/Beremy, etc...this really is a Klaroline story, so I ask that you not get too wrapped up in who I've paired with who. This story is supposed to first and foremost, make you laugh...if I haven't done that, than I'm sorry...but I hope that's what most of you tune into my updates for. To get a nice giggle...not to get completely consumed by a subplot from the story. **

**Let me also add that Bekah is just fine! Trust me...she's got some love and kisses coming her way! Kennett's going to take a back burner for a while, and I'll most definitely have some good Kalijah moments...cause if Klaroline is my main couple, they are my number one sub couple...like my Rogue/Gambit to my Jean Grey/Cyclops. I looove them and I'll write about them almost as much as Klaroline. **

**With that said, as always, let me know what you think in a review and don't forget to follow me on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels. **

**xoxo.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi everyone! An update has arrived. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to my Miranda, my Becky and my Alex for reading and laughing and continuing to encourage me to write. Love you girls!**

**Thanks to Kate for hitting me over the head with Kol's bat of inspiration! love you girl!  
**

**Confession...I've never played D&D in my life, so I had to use a little help from the nerd herd on the Big Bang Theory! Hope you guys don't mind. **

* * *

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"When the girls are away, the boys will play."

"Anything can happen!"es

"It's gonna get crazy!"

It's probably fair to say that most women wonder what boys really get up to after they leave the room? Is it really all about playing poker, smoking cigars and talking about women that they could never have? Well...the last one's pretty spot on with this group of guys, but the poker and smoking cigars is easily replaced with a Costco size box of Red Vines, Dominos Cheesy Stuffed Pizza, a case of Red Bull and a night of unadulterated fun in the fantasmic land of Dungeons and Dragons.

"I brought my brand new seven piece set of polyhedral dice."

There aren't many smells that make Elijah genuinely happy, aside from one of his freshly pressed and laundered suits and most recently Katherine's citrus shampoo, but as he opens the small plastic container, he inhales deeply. "Hello, new dice smell!" he says cheekily and sets them on the table.

"I've got my Helm of Lordly Might, my Boots of Speed, and in case I need a little pick me up, my Wand of Disillusion." Jeremy reaches in his pocket and pulls out a tightly rolled joint and mimics Elijah by running it under his nose and inhaling. "Hello beautiful! I believe we're in for an enchanting evening together."

Kol joins the circle with a slice of pizza in one hand and a small figure in the other. After the little display between Bekah and Bonnie, he wasn't feeling up for much of anything, but when Elijah suggested D&D his spirits perked right up and he was all in. He straddles the chair in front of him and holds up the small figure. "I have my blood thirsty, savage warrior that's gonna kick some ass and lay waste to all who stands in his way."

Klaus isn't ashamed to say that this is the absolute purest form of geekdom that he indulges in. Because nothing says "Let your geek flag fly," like Dungeons and Dragons. It's a time where you can tell reality to suck it and for hours you are transported to another world.

He loves the game, it's true, but not enough to add on another layer of geekiness for Caroline to see. He knows that she likes that he's a bit of a nerd, but some geeky hobbies a man just has to keep to himself.

The chatter in the room continues, as the four of them discuss strategy and get into character. Klaus is ready to start and interrupts one of Elijah's rants about proper wardrobe attire during D&D. "Come on Elijah, are you Dungeon Master or what? Let's get this started!"

"Alright then." In a rare moment Elijah removes his suit jacket, loosens his tie and rolls up his sleeves. He grabs the book in front of him, turns the page and his usual stoic and level voice lowers as he begins to speak in an ominous tone.

"Through my words you will experience the land of Elfen Hart, you'll lay siege to the mighty mountains that border the goblin wastelands, you'll wander the sewers that run like a spiderweb through the city of Jandor. Are you ready to encounter every monster from your nightmares? Every vision of beauty from your fantasies? If so, say Aye..."

"Aye!"

"Aye!"

"I'm about to get completely blazed for this," Jeremy pulls out a lighter when he notices the others are waiting for his response. He gives them a sheepish grin, lights the tip of his joint and with lungs full and his throat pinched shut he squeaks... "Aye!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

In another far off land where water magically becomes tequila and the battles happen on the dance floor and at the pool tables, the girls continue their night of drunken mystique.

"Who wants to play pool?" Kat stands up and looks down at the other three. "I'm feeling like that fourth shot is giving me a false sense of confidence."

"I'll play!" Bonnie offers and shimmies out of the booth to follow Kat to the tables. "I love pool."

The two wander off leaving Bekah and Caroline to finish off the tequila shots in front of them.

"Ugh, whose idea was it to switch to tequila?" Bekah asks and shoots one down and then squeezes a lime wedge into her mouth. "Like we're not drunk enough!"

"Yeah, I have a feeling this night isn't going to have a pretty ending. Might as well get used to the idea of sleeping in my bathroom tonight." Caroline raises the shot glass in acknowledgment of the porcelain throne that awaits her.

She takes a moment and looks around the room. The bar reminds her of her high school days. She grew up in the small town right next door to this one, where they too had a restaurant where everyone knew everyone and the bartender was kind to the not quite old enough crowd. She spent many nights with Kat and the gang in that place, being wild and unruly. There wasn't a weekend that went by without one of them making out with someone they shouldn't, getting into a fight, or if they were really lucky...both.

Past relationships come quickly to mind, and one in particular with the All-American Matt Donovan. Quarterback by day and busboy by night. Every girl in school wanted to date him, and every guy wanted to be him. So there was no one more surprised than Caroline, when he asked her to Prom their senior year.

They dated briefly after that and through the summer. It was fun, and bittersweet when it ended, just like every high school romance should be. They both went off in separate directions in the fall. Matt got a full ride to Virginia Tech to play football where he played for four years and got a degree in business. When the time came, he opted out on the draft and was recruited to New York where he was signed on with a popular modeling agency.

He had already made a name for himself in college and so it was an easy transition from star athlete to supermodel. Two out of three magazines that you pick up off the rack will most likely feature a full page ad of Matt, showing men that if you wear this particular article of clothing, or spritz this cologne daily, you'll look like me and get a girl like this.

They tried dating again after college, but the publicity of their relationship and his hectic schedule made it too difficult on both of them, and they inevitably split. They would always remain friends and she smiles everytime she sees his picture on the cover of a magazine.

It's funny how when you reminisce about people in your past you tend to imagine they're there. For instance, the guy across the way looks just like Matt - blonde hair, blue eyes and even the same small scar above his lip. The scar that he got in eighth grade from Stefan Salvatore's knuckles, after telling him that his hair was stupid. Ironically the two are best friends now, and Matt has even set Stefan up with a few hair modeling gigs.

Her reverie is interrupted when a tray of drinks come crashing down in front of her. She looks up to see Anna gazing toward the door with an absentee expression on her face. In fact, the entire bar is looking at the same spot.

"Oh my God," she hears Rebekah say. "Is that..."

Her question is cut off by a familiar squeal and a tussle of brown curls come flying by. "Mattyyyyy!"

Kat pushes through the crowd and jumps into the arms of the one and only Matthew Donovan.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After a few hours of Dungeon Master hell from Elijah, the boys have finally come to the end of their quest. Jeremy took one too many hits, physically speaking and metaphorically speaking. His Druid was ambushed and he took a blow to his head, leaving him in a coma and otherwise unable to complete his quest. He didn't seem to mind and wandered off to answer a phone call and order another pizza.

Shortly after Jeremy took his leave, Klaus mistakenly turns right instead of left, where he comes across an enchantress. He is so overwhelmed by her beauty that the task at hand is forgotten and he is too captivated to continue on.

So much for escaping reality, since he's pretty sure this exact scenario has taken place in his real life too.

He can barely hear the triumphant screams coming from his warrior brother. The defender and champion, once again.

"Defender of the keep and ruler of the night. I have smited you all and risen above the gates of Asgoth and conquered the terrible tyrant king. Bow to me peasants! Bow!"

"I will not bow to a man who thinks smited is a word," Elijah gracefully says and stands up to head to the bathroom for a much needed break.

Klaus' thoughts drift to Caroline and he's not even remotely sorry for it. He imagines her wearing an enchanting outfit of her own, with a wand and crown. Her breast heaving out of the sheer fabric of her gown and suddenly having Caroline play Dungeons and Dragons with him isn't such a horrible idea afterall.

He picks up his phone to text her, but second guesses himself and puts it back down. No need to bother her while she's with her friends. He has to constantly remind himself that she's not going anywhere, that she likes him and they're together. He just can't help but sense that one day something better is going to come along and she'll forget all about him.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Kat," Matt hugs the girl tightly and then looks her up and down, "Lookin' good."

"Well, you know," she feigns embarrassment and flippantly tosses her hair behind her shoulder. "What are you doing here? How come you didn't tell us you were in town?"

"I just stopped by to see Mom and Vicki for the weekend and when I checked in with Jer to see what he was up to he told me where you and Caroline ran off to for the night."

"I'm surprised he was lucid enough to remember," Kat says.

"Oh he was definitely stoned out of his mind. He kept asking me to call him Lord of Asgoth."

"Ah, D&D. He never plays sober."

"I still have no idea how your brother got so many girls in high school," he says in all seriousness.

"Good looks and extremely high self esteem," Kat tells him. "Come on, come sit with us!"

"Who's the looker?" Bonnie asks Bekah and Caroline and nods at Matt.

"That," Rebekah starts, "Is Matthew Donovan, the Supermodel."

Rebekah continues to stare as Kat grabs Matt's hand and drags him toward their table. Matthew Donovan is beautiful in magazines, but who isn't with all that airbrushing and photoshopping, but she never imagined he would be just as beautiful, if not more, in person and close up. She takes a deep breath accompanied by another shot of tequila.

Caroline stands up as he approaches and gives him a big hug. "Matthew Donovan, I was just thinking about you."

"Hope it was all good."

Caroline blushes when he flashes her that winning smile that's made too many knees weak and hearts skip a beat. He has always been a charmer.

"Of course it was all good."

Their reunion is interrupted when they hear someone's throat clear and they glance down at the table. Rebekah catches Matt's eyes and the neatly pressed and extremely confident Rebekah Mikaelson hiccups and extends her hand. "Rebek-hiccup-ah Mikaelson." The tequila must be in full effect because she clearly has no idea how drunk she is.

"Sorry," Caroline apologizes. "So rude. Matt this is Rebekah and our friend Bonnie. Bonnie, Bekah this is Matt Donovan.

"It's a pleasure," he says and grabs hold of Rebekah's hand. He looks a little closer, admiring her pretty blue eyes and pouty mouth. "I hope you don't mind me saying but you are beautiful," he flirts. "And it's not just your jacket from this season's Dolce and Gabbana collection."

Rebekah looks at her jacket and back up at Matt through hooded eyes.

_Can it be?_ She thinks to herself. Is it possible that she just met a fashionable man that is sexy as hell and straight to boot? He is straight right?

"Are you straight?" she blurts out in her drunken state.

Kat and Caroline burst into laughter, the idea of Matthew Donovan being gay was too funny for words.

"I hope so," Kat continues to chuckle. "I'd hate to think that Caroline would've been the catalyst of women losing such a gorgeous hunk of a man to the other team."

Rebekah looked between Caroline and Matt when she finally realized what Kat meant. "So you two used to be together?"

"They were Prom King and Queen," Kat says and rolls her eyes, disgusted by how sickly perfect it all was. "Head cheerleader, captain of the football team. Gag!"

Matt nudges Caroline with his elbow and laughs. "We were a cute couple though."

Caroline smiles shyly and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I suppose we were."

"I wouldn't let _Klaus_ know about him," Rebekah remarks, emphasizing her brother's name to make a very clear point.

_Back off, Caroline! You got a man! Learn to share!_

"And who's Klaus?" Matt asks.

"Oh he's-"

Wait. What is he? Is he her boyfriend? They haven't really had a chance to define the relationship.

"He's her boyfriend," Kat clears it up for her.

"Well..." Caroline begins, not wanting to put labels on something that hasn't yet been established. "He's definitely someone...special." She looks up at him and smiles genuinely. She can't help but get a little giddy when she thinks about Klaus.

"He's totally her boyfriend," Rebekah sides with Kat. "You spend every waking moment together. If you're not at the store then you're next door at the comic book shop with him." Rebekah scoots to the edge of the booth and stands up to face Matt properly. She gives him a winning smile and bats her eyelashes. Supermodel or not, she is so taking him home tonight. "Should we get you a drink?" she asks and offers him her hand.

Matt looks her up and down to take in the full package. The girl certainly knows how to dress, and her legs go on for miles. "Sure," he says coolly and gives Kat and Caroline one final glance before being briskly marched away to the bar.

"Wow," Kat laughs and grabs a shot of tequila from the table. "Remind me to never get in the way of Rebekah and her conquests."

"She definitely made sure he knew I had a boy- uh- someone special in my life," she says with slight irritation.

"What do you care?" Kat shrugs. "You do have 'someone special' in your life", she says using obnoxious air quotes.

"Oh, I know, and he's just," she sighs and bites her bottom lip, "he's just amazing."

"So what's the problem?" Kat teases. "You don't like Rebekah playing with your toys? Even if you're done playing with them?" She turns her head to Matt and then back at Caroline for an explanation.

"What? No! I don't care who Matt goes out with...I mean, it's been years! Why would I care?"

"Because he's your first love."

"He is _not _my first love."

"Oh yeah, then who is?" Kat puts her hands on her hips and tilts her head in a challenge.

"It's-" Caroline starts to answer but quickly draws a blank. She thinks for a moment until finally giving in. "Okay, fine...yeah, he's my first love."

Bonnie has been sitting quietly listening but decides to reassure Caroline instead of letting Kat dig the knife in even deeper. "It's okay that you still have feelings for him, Care," she tells her. "It's natural."

"But I don't have feelings for him, I love Klaus," she blurts.

The two girls drop their jaws simultaneously at her new proclamation.

"You LOVE him?!" Kat shouts across the bar.

"Did I say love? I mean, I care about him, I don't think I- I'm pretty sure that I'm not in lo- I mean I am really happy with him but I don't lo-"

She feels their eyes boring into her and she can do nothing about it. They've cornered her and she's just confessed something she isn't even sure she meant. Her cheeks get flushed and she pours herself another shot of tequila.

"Klaus and Caroline sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes loooooove, then comes marriage..."

"Oh real mature," Caroline says cutting Kat off, and swatting at her arm before downing the shot. "Can we just try and keep my drunken confession of love on the down low? No need letting Klaus hear about it through gossip."

"So you _do _love him?" Bonnie asks her.

"Yeah," she finally admits. "I suppose I do. I've just never had things go so well with someone. I just don't want to rush it by assuming he's on the same page as me, ya know?" She tells them honestly.

Bonnie places a reassuring hand on Caroline's shoulder. "Trust me, Caroline. He's on the same page."

* * *

**Aww, she loves him! Things are just so perfect! **

**Or are they?**

**Muahahahaha.**

**Thanks for hanging in there with me guys. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you think in the little box below! And don't forget to follow me at jomosfamilyjewels on Tumblr. It's sort of a multi-fandom blog right now because of the summer, but Klaroline will always be its center. **

**Cheers!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey Guys! And wow...I updated so quickly. **

**Thank you Miranda, Becky and Alex for reading this beforehand. I love you girls! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Caroline's eyes peek open and she gazes around the room. Her room, which is good - she apparently made it home last night, although she doesn't know exactly how. Her day old mascara feels like superglue as she forces her eyes to open all the way and pauses as the rest of her senses catch up with her.

She looks at the clock and cringes. A normal human being would be upset that they're waking up so early on their day off, but not Caroline. Miss Efficient cringes because it's now 11 AM and she feels that she's officially slept the day away.

She throws the blankets to the side and sits up in bed and smiles at her tiny tank top and sleeping shorts.

_At least I had the good sense of putting my pajamas on._

She runs her hand through her hair and stands up to stretch as she throws the curtains open and squints at the evasive but warm sunshine. Her grumbles become more apparent when she realizes she hasn't just slept the morning away but slept a _beautiful _morning away.

She steps outside into her living room to make her way toward the kitchen and hears the shower running in the bathroom. In that moment, nothing sounds better than a nice warm shower of her own to wash off the night before, followed by about a gallon of coffee and a mile high stack of bacon. The grease and caffeine working simultaneously to cleanse her alcohol infused stomach. She smiles at the idea and thinks a trip to the cafe downtown is in her future, but the smile quickly fades when she realizes what she's hearing.

The shower.

Someone's in the shower.

_Who's in the shower? _

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Okay, so it's only been a day and a half, but he misses her. He's realized that Sundays are his least favorite days because it's the one day a week that the lingerie shop isn't open. Every time the bell chimes at the front door he whips his head around to see her smiling and bright face walk in, but instead, he is constantly bombarded by pimply faced, greasy haired clientele looking for what's new in the comic book world.

"Klaus, do you have the new Limited Edition Spiderman?"

"Hmm?" he hears someone talking but is lost in his thoughts of Caroline again. He's been doing that a lot lately.

"I said, do you have the new Spiderman?"

Klaus looks up from the counter and pushes a finger to his glasses to center them and help focus on the familiar patron in front of him.

"Oh, yeah, sorry Mason...um, you can find it on the far wall. They're on the center shelf."

The late twenties-something saunters off, and Klaus laughs at how cliché he looks. Take the main guy in Revenge of the Nerds and that's pretty spot on to Mason's attire. Pants that are too short, held up by suspenders, a white button up short sleeved shirt and a pair of loafers with a pocket protector. Klaus is pretty sure that he's being ironic in his fashion choices because there's no way someone would choose that outfit because they think it looks good. Plus the guy's way too good looking and hygienic, not to mention he's seen him around town and he's always with some pretty girl.

_Maybe geek is the new cool? _he thinks to himself.

Klaus laughs at the thought but quickly stops when he sees Elijah and Katherine come into the shop. Katherine is dressed to the nines in a pair of tight jeans, a tank top and some sparkly shoes. Her hair and makeup are perfect and she holds on to Elijah's hand - their fingers are laced together and she strokes her thumb across his in a simple gesture. She steps up on her tiptoes and wraps a hand around his neck and kisses him sweetly before turning to wave at Klaus and saying goodbye. Klaus watches Elijah watch Katherine, and Klaus shakes his head in disbelief that Elijah was able to land such a beautiful woman. This of course reminds him of his own luck in finding such a beauty in Caroline. His eyes grow wide and he realizes what he just thought moments ago could possibly be true.

"Maybe geek _is_ the new cool?" he says in astonishment - his childhood suddenly playing a different course in his mind had he grasped this concept at the age of twelve.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

She strains to think of who it could be. Who brought her home and decided to stick around and use her shower in the morning? Possibly she made a late night booty call to Klaus? It would be a shame if this is the case and she has no recollection of their night together, or that he didn't wait so she could join him in the shower.

The idea of a little morning shower time with a naked Klaus causes a subtle tingle to settle between her legs. She peers in her bedroom and sees no articles of male clothing and the other side of the bed is still intact, so she decides it's probably not Klaus. Unless he woke up and decided to make his side of the bed.

Unlikely.

She then decides that it must be Katherine, because she's the only person who has a key and would make herself at home.

The ringing of her phone breaks her concentration and she heads back to her room and stretches across the bed to grab it off the nightstand.

"Kat" is displayed big and brightly as it buzzes in her hand. She quickly slides her thumb across it and answers.

"You wouldn't happen to be calling me from my bathroom, would you?"

"What?" she laughs. "No...I'm not in your bathroom. Is there someone in your bathroom?"

"Yes, and I have no idea who it is. Did I call Klaus last night?" she hopes.

"I don't think so," Katherine says and a long pause follows before she finally says, "Oh, I think it's..." She trails off and Caroline waits for Kat to give her some insight as to who it might be.

"Kat?" Caroline says. She hears the water shut off and the shower curtain skid across the pole. "Who's in my bathroom?" she says in a hushed whisper and walks back out to her living room.

"Well, I was going to take you home, but after Bekah and Bonnie left the bar last night I got a phone call from Elijah..."

"Aaand?"

"And so, I went to his house, and oh man Care, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have left you alone with him. I didn't think he would stick around."

"Matt," Caroline finishes Kat's thoughts just as the door opens and the blonde model is standing before her in the flesh.

Pretty much all of his flesh. His abtastic flesh...

One of Caroline's hot pink towels is wrapped lowly around his waist and he's drying his hair off with a matching hand towel.

"Morning, Care."

"Matt, what- what are you doing here?"

Caroline is in panic mode. Why on earth is he here? Why on earth didn't he just drop her off and leave?

She loves Klaus, that's what she decided last night. She only wants him. So what would possess her to invite Matt into her home and have him stay the night?

Bits and pieces of last night start falling into place. After many more rounds of tequila, some dancing and a terrible display of darts, her memory gets hazy. She remembers reminiscing with Matt and watching Rebekah fall all over him. She vaguely remembers Bonnie taking Bekah home and her commenting on Bekah not doing anything she'll regret in the morning.

"Care?" she hears Kat say through the phone.

"I gotta go," she quickly says and hangs up.

Matt looks at her and smiles as he watches Caroline put the pieces together. He can't help but laugh out loud when she puts her hands over her face and sits at the end of the couch and starts berating herself.

"No-no-no-no," she says and shakes her head but snaps back at him when she hears his giggles. "Why are you laughing?!" Her angry tone quickly shutting him up.

"Caroline..."

"What-? I can't believe this happened! Why are you here? What the hell happened? Why would you think this is okay?" A slew of other accusatory questions come flooding out of her mouth and Matt just stands there wide eyed and sheepish.

"Listen...Caroline..."

"Listen to what? Listen to you tell me that it's no big deal? That I didn't make a mistake?" She stands to her feet and paces the floor, "I love Klaus, Matthew! Klaus?! This is horrible!"

He takes a deep breath and continues to dry his hair. "Wow, you really have no idea what happened last night," he tells her nonchalantly.

"NO! I DON'T!" she screams at him.

"Well, let me just ease your mind by saying...nothing."

"What?"

"Nothing happened. After an hour or so of listening to you continue to talk about Klaus, and how much he means to you, I got the point. Even if I wanted something to happen between us, which I'm not saying I did, it's clear that your heart belongs to someone else."

A mix of emotions rattle through her as she tries to process what he just said, relief being number one.

"Nothing...nothing happened?" she says in a much calmer voice.

"No, nothing happened. As you can see, I slept on the couch last night."

"Oh." Caroline finally notices the makeshift bed that has been set up on the couch and berates herself for not figuring that out sooner before she accused Matt of doing anything ungentlemanly.

"I brought you home and you went into your room to go to bed, but not before telling me I could sleep on the couch for the night."

"Well, that does sound like me."

Even in her drunkest of states she is never too drunk to forget her manners.

"I'm sorry about the shower, I just have somewhere I need to be this morning, and I knew I wouldn't have time to go home to change. Plus the paparazzi found me last night and after snapping a thousand photos of all of us at the bar, I jumped in your car and drove us here."

He looks down at himself and realizes this conversation would probably go better if he were dressed.

"I'm just going to put some clothes on and then we'll talk some more, okay?"

"That's probably for the best," she agrees. "I'm gonna go put some coffee on."

Caroline swiftly walks toward the kitchen, but not before opening up her phone to text the one person she really wants to see.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

The morning breezes by, and the shop stays consistently busy. Sundays are typically busy because it's when they put out their new inventory. All the regulars stop by at least one time, to trade, browse and buy.

Bonnie finally makes it in around eleven o'clock, a pair of sunglasses adorn her face. Rebekah is with her, looking just as haggard as her friend.

Friend?

Girlfriend?

Lover?

Before he could stop himself from thinking the word "lover" his gag reflexes shoot up. A shiver runs through him - the same shiver that goes through him anytime he is in the presence of his baby sister being intimate with anyone. The two girls hug goodbye and Klaus is silently grateful that they left it at that.

Bonnie makes it quite clear that she'd like to hide in the office and start on the end of the month stuff for Klaus. He typically likes to do it himself, but trained Bonnie in case he wasn't around. He makes an exception since the girl looks as though she is about to hurl and he prefers she do it in the bathroom rather than on a customer.

Lunch is quickly approaching and he thinks it might be nice to have it with Caroline. He's put off calling her in the morning, due to knowing she had a late night, but thinks it wouldn't hurt to try her now. He picks up his phone and notices a text message from the woman in question.

**Caroline: Hi. I miss you. Can you sneak away for a little while and have some lunch?**

Before he can respond, his little brother races through the door holding a small box and squealing his and Elijah's names.

"You guys, _look_ at what I found!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After finishing the rest of her morning with coffee and Matt's company, the two of them drive to the bar where Caroline drops off Matt. He is planning on staying in town for a few more days and promises to try and see her one more time before he heads back to New York.

She reaches across the console of her car and gives him a tight hug and says, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking care of me last night."

"Anything for you, Care Bear." He gives her a winning smile and a peck on the cheek before stepping out of the car and going on his way.

Ten minutes later she's parked in front of the comic book shop and on her way in to see Klaus.

It's only been a day, but her heart is full from her declaration of love last night, and she can't wait to see him. Even more so since the debacle with Matt this morning. Although it was innocent, she had felt sick that she could've possibly done something to ruin a relationship that was going better than any she had ever had.

Thank God drunk Caroline had as much admiration and respect for the man that she now loved.

When she enters the shop, she hears raised voices and a plethora of swear words, mostly from Kol, coming from the counter. They're so involved in their conversation that Klaus doesn't even notice that she's walked in.

"I found it! It's mine!"

"Yes, but how did you pay for it?"

"Doesn't matter, I made an executive decision because I thought you would support me in this!"

"I do," Klaus tries to reason with his little brother, "But you used the company credit card to pay for it. I thought you needed it for rent or something, not to buy this!" He gestures with both hands at the small box in front of him.

"Come on, man, how could I pass this up? It's the original."

"And it was nice of you to buy it for me," Klaus smirks at his little brother, which sends Kol over the edge.

"You are being completely irrational!"

"Am I?"

"Who cares if I used the money for rent or for this, a loan is a loan."

A not so raised voice pipes up next.

"Klaus, if Kol bought it with company money, then I think it's only fair that you keep it until he is able to pay it back."

"Fine, that's fine," Kol agrees. "I'll pay you back at the end of the month when we divide out our share."

"Or, we could fall to reason," Elijah continues. "and reason says that I am the oldest, and main proprietor of this business, therefore it should belong to me."

"That's a bunch of crock!"

"Noooo," Kol whines, sounding like a three year old about to make a scene in the supermarket. "That makes no sense."

"Yeah Elijah, you can't just throw the older brother card on the table, that's fucking stupid."

"Well then we're at an impasse," Elijah states.

Kol starts racking his mind for an answer, anyway to prove that he deserves the trinket more than his brothers. The scene is not going the way he had planned.

"Ooor, we could play for it."

The older brothers turn to their younger and ponder his suggestion. If there's something to be said of all three Mikaelsons it's that they are inherently competitive. Once the three of them played a game of Monopoly with their father for an entire week. The only way that Klaus won was because Mikael landed in jail long enough for Klaus to take his brothers out of the equation and go head to head with Mikael once he got out.

"What did you have in mind?" Klaus asks, the idea sounding better and better the longer he thought about it.

"It needs to be even playing grounds, something that is pure strategy and no luck."

"I agree," Klaus says and looks to Elijah.

Elijah nods and begins to remove his jacket. He clears his throat and very stoically says, "I propose that we pull out Guitar Hero and see who can get the highest score."

"No way, you'll totally kick our asses!" Klaus interjects. "You have that at home."

"Fine then what do you suggest?"

"I know!" They hear a small voice say from behind them.

Bonnie steps out from the office and walks across the store to the limited video game collection that they carry. She browses through the games before removing a bright pink one from the shelf. She tosses it to Kol who reads the title and rolls his eyes.

"No way!" He sets it on the counter and crosses his arms.

"Actually," Elijah says, "I think this is a superb idea. None of us play this game, and it puts us all at a fair advantage. Thank you, Bonnie."

"Sure. Plus it'd be a total riot to watch the three of you try and play it."

Klaus picks it up and snickers, "Just Dance 4?"

Once again Caroline has walked into something she has no clue about. "What's going on?" she asks the boys after some time of listening to their bickering.

Klaus stumbles back and adjusts his glasses. "Caroline, hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"I can tell," she giggles. "So, it looks like you're sort of in the middle of something here. Maybe we can postpone lunch and make it dinner?" She bats her eyelashes and pouts her lips, hoping that her little tricks would help Klaus make the _right_ decision and leave with her now.

Klaus is suddenly at an impasse himself. Does he stay and dominate his brothers in this ridiculous dual, or does he leave it be and accompany Caroline to lunch? He looks at the priceless trinket in the box and back at his brothers and then to Caroline, the wheels in his head making so much racket that it's confusing him even more.

"Ummm," he says still pondering his options. "Would it...would it be terrible if I postponed until later tonight? It's just that this is really rare and I'd like to try and win it."

Caroline looks at the small gold ring in the box. She goes to pick it up but turns to the boys and asks, "May I?" before she does so.

They all nod and she picks up the small treasure to examine it closer. It looks simple enough but when she looks closely she sees a small inscription on the side.

"**One Ring to Rule Them All." **

_Huh_, she thinks. _What in the world..._

She has no idea but she isn't about to let a silly ring get in the way of her showing Klaus how much more beneficial his time would be if spent with her.

"That's fine," she tells him.

"Really?" he asks her again, "'cause I really want to be with you but it's just..."

"Klaus, it's fine." She waves her hand casually. "It's no big deal...really."

"Okay great. You can stick around and watch if you want," he says but quickly regrets the offer. The last thing he wants is Caroline watching him dance.

She slides her purse back over her shoulder and shrugs. "No, I've got lots to do this afternoon anyway. I got a new shipment of lingerie and I was going to try them on to see if they looked okay...but I don't need your help for that." She starts to back up toward the door, and watches as Klaus' mouth drops open and she sees him swallow hard. When she turns her back to him she smirks - all too proud of her manipulation skills.

Klaus looks back at the ring and at his brothers. Elijah awaits his decision patiently, while Kol lifts his eyebrows and smiles, understanding the predicament that Klaus is in. He turns back to the door and watches the leggy blonde exit the shop and his mind is flooded with images of that pretty body wrapped tightly in the lacy contraptions from next door.

"I'm out!" he says and without a single glance back at Elijah and Kol, he drops Just Dance onto the counter and briskly follows the blonde out the door.

* * *

**Did I scare you? Did you think Matt was going to be more trouble than he is? **

**Muahahaha. **

**Also...I know you want it, so I promise PROMISE PROMISE! that the next chapter is going to have some hot and steamy smut! She's trying on lingerie for goodness sake. **

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! We're nearing the end of this little fic, so if you haven't yet...let me know what you think in a review. Also, don't forget to follow me on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels. **

**Ta-Ta!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello my beautiful readers! I hope you're all doing well and enjoying your summer...or winter, depending on where you're at in this big gorgeous world of ours. **

**I would like to start by apologizing. It has come to my attention that I failed in the geek department. If you could please ignore the fact that I so wrongly described the one ring to rule them all, that would be fantastic. Just imagine that it was written in Elvish and on the inside of the ring...not the out. A true, and great nerd amongst us let me know that I fucked up, and I greatly and painfully accepted my indiscretion. Thanks Kristen! =P **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. There's a little drama, a little smutty goodness and hopefully some laughs! **

**Thank you to livingdeadblondegirl, a-little-blonde-distraction, klarolineepiclove, approvesomuch, and of course sweetklausoline, for being my lovely Betas and Friends!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Well, that's disappointing," Elijah shakes his head at the door where his brother just raced through. "I understand Klaus' need to be with Caroline, but this is a very valuable prize."

"So's Caroline," Kol leers at the doorway, "I'd throw that ring over a bridge to get a piece of that."

On the way back to the office Bonnie is halted in her steps. She hears Kol's comment, and she's had about enough of this. Why Kol continues to act like a prepubescent child is beyond her. She turns and steps around the counter to face him.

"A piece of what, Kol?" she interrupts with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

He tilts his head at Bonnie, and chuckles. "Oh, I think you know what I mean," playing along with her "pretend" offense.

"Oh but, by all means, please, enlighten us with more of your charming anecdotes," she says through a thick blanket of sarcasm, and with a bit of a nasty tone.

Kol brings his full attention to the girl, trying to get a read on her. They've known each other forever, but this is the first time he's actually seen her be...is that mad?

_Is she mad at me?_

"I think what Kol means by 'piece' is in reference to getting a 'piece' of sexual activity-"

"I know what he means, Elijah," Bonnie snaps and stops the lesson with a raised palm and closed eyes.

Yep. She's mad.

"I just don't see why it's necessary for you to always be so sexist and derogatory with your remarks." She throws her hands on her hips and raises an eyebrow at Kol - challenging the boy.

Kol's eyebrows knit together in confusion and his eyes narrow. He'll take her challenge and raise it with some snark. "Why do you care all of a sudden about what I say?"

"I don't," she quickly fires back. "I'm just wondering when you're gonna get it through your thick skull that women don't like to be talked about like that?"

It's not as though his constant babblings and sexist remarks have offended her before. So why now? What's changed? Before Bonnie could figure it out for herself, Kol chimes in with his own idea of her new found epiphony.

"And here I thought since you've decided to play for the other team, _with_ our baby sister, might I add," he throws a hand between Elijah and himself, "that you'd like to join in on my derogatory comments?"

Elijah looks between the two and takes a step back, not wanting to get involved in what's transpiring before him. He may be daft in some respects but it would take a complete idiot to not notice the tension building in the room.

Bonnie rolls her eyes and crosses her arms in front of her, shielding herself from giving anything away about the true nature of her and Bekah's relationship.

"Or maybe," he continues, "you've decided that this new way of life has given you some sort of right to spew a bunch of feminist crap at me."

"Maybe it has," she spits and takes a step closer. "For years I've listened to you go on and on about how hot this girl is, and what you'd like to do to that girl. It's getting old, Kol, and it's-"

"What is it?" he challenges.

"It's disgusting!" she blurts, and throws her hands in the air.

It's his time to take a step closer, as his voice raises and he points a finger right at her. "If I'm so _disgusting_, then why did you hang out with me all these years? Why did you listen to me go on and on about _this_ girl and _that_ girl?"

Bonnie opens her mouth to speak but can find no words. He's got her there.

"Oh I see," Kol continues coolly and takes another step. "Now that you're all dressed up and feeling good about yourself, you think you have the right to belittle me and make me feel bad about how I am?"

Now _he's_ angry. Blame it on his stupid pride, but having Bonnie, his closest friend, call him out on his character was hurtful and surprising. She's only ever been nice to him, maybe a little passive aggressive with her subtle eyerolls and feigned annoyance, but she's always laughed with him; always made him feel good about himself.

"Is that so?" she scoffs.

"Yeah, and let me be the first to say that you're not fooling anybody."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." His voice turns cold and the normally joyful and glib friend she's always known can barely be seen through his angry eyes and clenched jaw. "You may look gorgeous now, with your new hair and wardrobe, but we all know that the same scared and insecure Bonnie is still hiding underneath!"

He immediately regrets the words before they even leave his mouth. He watches as her expression changes from disagreeable to hurt in a flash. You would think that he would stop and apologize but he's a Mikaelson, and unfortunately Mikaelsons aren't known for being the most tactful people on the planet.

"That's it, isn't it?" His voice lowers and he peers into her sage green eyes. "You still feel bad about yourself, but now you feel like you have the right to put people down, because at least you don't look like it on the outside. So, am I just some pathetic guy that you can only tolerate now?"

He's so close. The closest he's ever been to her before. She can feel his breath on her lips, and her chest hitches and tightens while she watches his eyes move across her face. She didn't mean for it to escalate like this. She didn't mean to make her friend feel so horrible, and now she's driving an even further wedge between the two of them.

It was supposed to be innocent. Choosing to kiss Rebekah was supposed to only peak his interest and make him notice her, but now she's afraid her little game may have hurt him deeper than she thought.

She knows he doesn't mean what he's saying. His words are hurtful, but he's never been good with words or expressing how he feels to begin with. She should be furious with his outburst but she can't help but blame herself for taking it this far.

"No," she whispers. "I just...I just don't understand why such an amazing guy like you, feels the need to pretend to be something that I know he isn't."

Her words are so genuine that it's his time to be speechless. He takes a step back from her, feeling even more confused about the girl standing in front of him. In a way, it hurts more now than it did yesterday when he watched her go to Bekah instead of him. He understands that you don't choose who you love, he only wishes that she would've chose him.

In the end, it wouldn't matter if he was the person that she perceives him to be, he wouldn't have had a chance with her anyway.

Instinct takes over, and he finds himself raising a hand to brush away a stray hair from her face, as he's done for her many times before. It's different this time, however, and he allows his fingers to linger a bit longer and he gently strokes her cheek with his knuckles. He glances back up at her and notices shallow pools beginning to form in her eyes. His heart falls to his stomach. She's so beautiful and he wants nothing more in that moment to not only tell her, but show her how he feels.

"Bonnie, I-"

"I have to go," she cuts him off and takes a step back from him as well. "Tell Klaus I'm all done and that I'm taking off for the day."

She quickly steps around him and across the store, racing away from the scene that just took place. When she steps outside she throws her back against the brick wall, sighing heavily and placing a hand on her now tingling cheek. This was not the way it was supposed to go. She suppresses the need to run back into the shop and hug him and tell him that she only loves him. She's supposed to be making him work for it, and if she's not careful, he's not going to have to work at all.

Inside the shop, two brothers, a ring and Just Dance 4 are left alone.

Elijah picks up the game and looks at his brother.

"Shall we?"

"Elijah, I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood," Kol tells him as he continues to look in the direction of Bonnie's departure. His insides are boiling from the argument, and his mind and his body are fighting for control. He never should have said what he said, but it's too late. Always speaking before he thinks, and now he's afraid that the consequences of his actions may have just pushed away the one person that he truly cares about. He turns on his heel and makes an exit to the back office, leaving Elijah feeling abandoned and slightly confused.

Elijah looks around the room, seeing that the shop was nearly cleared out for the moment. His eyes drop to the small box on the table and they grow wide with revelation. He picks up his jacket and dusts it off before putting it back on and adjusting his tie. He's much too reserved and polite to become blatantly celebratory about his victory, so instead he simply picks the trinket up, clenches it in his hand and calmly thinks to himself...

_My precioussss._

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Klaus shifts in his seat, his jeans becoming a bit unbearable as each lingerie item that she adorns adds to the "growing" need to take her. He can't handle another outfit change, knowing that her naked body is just on the other side of that curtain taunting him to come and take a peek.

He imagines her slowly removing each article of clothing, her panties sliding down her long satin legs, and the thin straps of each teddy rolling over her shoulder before shimming down and releasing those supple breasts from their packaging.

"And what about this one?" he hears her say and he sits up in anticipation for the next sultry surprise.

Caroline flings the curtains open of her dressing room, to reveal sexy little outfit number four. A baby blue bra that hugs her tightly, pushing her breasts up and out accompanied by barely there panties that are begging to be removed...with his teeth if he has it his way.

He watches her take slow, deliberate steps around the room, her blonde hair swaying gently with each movement down her back. The high heels she's wearing make her look like a sexy Amazon warrior, waiting to pick him up and nestle him deep between her bosom.

As she turns away from him, he refrains from jumping from his seat to grasp the display in front of him. Unlike the other lacey ensembles, this one is lacking any sort of fabric to cover her milky white ass, except for the thin g-string that is playing peek-a-boo at the very top. Her toned figure glides effortlessly around him, and he suddenly feels like a helpless bunny about to be ravished by a sensual lioness.

Her fingers drape casually along his shoulders as she passes behind him, and his breath catches as she leans into him and runs them down his chest and back up again. She leans a little closer and with her steamy breath caressing his earlobe, he feels her teeth slightly nip and her tongue lightly flick his ear. Sparks ignite in a tingling sensation, as they travel down his neck and through his body, torturing his already hungry erection.

He reaches his hands up to run them up her arm, feeling her soft, warm skin as they rest upon his chest. He leans his head back to peer up at her and with a gentle palm tilts her face down and captures her lips with a kiss.

She moans softly into his mouth, as their tongues tangle and dance in a rhythm of their own. She breaks from the kiss long enough to continue her saunter around the chaise lounge he's so patiently been sitting in. When she reaches the front of him she lowers herself and wraps an arm around his neck before sitting across his lap.

"This one's my favorite," he says and takes a long hard look at the beauty in front of him.

"Oh yeah?" she hums.

"Definitely."

Klaus brings his mouth back to hers while his hands find rest from their torture when one finally meets the skin of her long legs and the other wraps around her waist and holds her close. He runs his hands up her calf and to her thigh, deepening their kiss as the sensation causes a deeper hunger to travel down below.

They break the kiss again, this time to allow Klaus to pant out his appreciation.

"You are incredible," he sighs.

Her chest begins to rise higher as her breathing deepens and suddenly he feels as though there's something stirring behind those bright blue eyes. He lifts his hand to move her blonde tresses behind her back and leans in kissing her neck softly, as if he's coaxing what she's feeling out of her.

"Is there something on your mind, love?" he purrs into her, his pet name reminding her of last night's declaration.

She wants to tell him. She needs to tell him, that she's never felt more beautiful than when she's with him...like this...deep in his embrace. The way he looks at her and holds her so delicately in his hands makes her feel like a priceless jewel. The love she thought she felt for him, seems to multiply with each feel of his fingertips dancing across her skin, and his lips moving sweetly across her neck.

Caroline closes her eyes and lets out a barely audible moan when she feels his tongue begin to slide down her throat, across her chest and nestle between her breasts. If any sort of declaration was going to happen, the moment has passed, as he swiftly unclasps her bra with one hand and slowly begins to remove it one strap at a time. All coherent thoughts seem to dissipate, and are replaced with only carnal desires as he moves his thumb back between her legs and forms light, caressing circles on the inside of her thigh.

Incoherently she mumbles something that sounds like, "I forgot..." and he picks her up just enough to lower her onto the sofa. He removes her bra and tosses it to the floor, and both hands move up her torso, and his fingers roll over her breasts before he grasps them in both hands.

Caroline's head rolls back. "Mmm, that's nice," she says as he continues to massage her. She briefly looks up at him, and the moment of sweet seduction and reverie, is slightly interrupted when she lets out a single giggle and quickly covers her mouth.

"What?" he asks, suddenly nervous and caught off guard and retracts his hands. He looks down at himself to see what could possibly be funny. "Did I- did I do something wrong?" he asks gingerly.

Caroline shakes her head at him, and throws her head back to let out another chuckle. "No, no, but...are you having a hard time seeing me right now?"

"Huh?" he questions, not quite sure what she's talking about, when he finally realizes what's so funny.

A once clear and shining face is now a cloudy blur of shimmering beauty. Klaus' glasses have sufficiently fogged up, obscuring his vision and efficiently making him feel like a cartoon character.

"Oh," he says and sits up to remove them. "I must look ridiculous."

He takes them off and begins to dry them off with the hem of his shirt, when she stops his movements and grabs hold of his glasses. "Here, let's just put these over here." She leans over and places them on the ottoman next to her.

"Well, now I _really_ can't see you," he laughs.

"It's alright," she tells him and runs her hands up his back and grabs hold of his shirt and pulls it up and over his head. She pulls him back on top of her and placing her hand over his moves it painstakingly slow up her body to rest on her breast. "You don't need to see me. Just...feel me."

He continues his massaging, this time grabbing hold of every inch of her. He matches each motion of his hand with a swipe of his tongue and she can sense his urgency as he lowers himself between her legs and grinds into her already wet center.

His mouth finds her again and he brings his fingers to the lacy lining of her panties and she shivers as his fingers make their way between her legs. One of his fingers slides between her folds and she breaks from the kiss to gasp at the sensation. He immediately finds her sweet spot and alternates so brilliantly between deep pressure and light caresses. His hand cradles under her head and she nips at his shoulder when his finger slides down and deep inside her.

He holds her close, pressing her tits flush against his chest and he rocks with her as her hips buck with each thrust. He fills her up as much as possible, inserting another finger and curling them inside. She lets out a scream and her abdomen tightens as she lifts herself up and clings to his shoulders, gasping as he brings her closer and closer to her first wave of pleasure. With his fingers buried deep, he holds them in place and feels her walls tighten as she sinks her teeth into the flesh of his shoulder which muffles her orgasmic cry.

He lays her head back down on the couch, and she enjoys the ripples continuing through her body. Her moment of bliss can wait however, or continue, depending on how you look at it, as he sits up and inhumanly fast has his pants off, her panties off and he's plunging himself deep between her legs. The shock of it only spurs her forward and she pushes him up with the palms of her hands. He raises up to his knees and she wraps her legs around his waist. She holds onto his neck as he straightens his back and brings her up with him and once situated, allows her to take control of the speed.

Caroline clings closely to him, using his shoulders, the back of the couch and the heels of her feet to move up and down upon him. Once her rhythm is set, she flicks her tongue across his lips, and he opens his mouth to invite her inside. He captures her tongue with his and he drags his hands up her bare back, her blonde curls tickling his fingertips as he does so. He grabs hold of her shoulders and halts her movement by pushing her down to keep himself deep inside. She begins to roll her hips in circles, not wanting to stop the sensation of his hard dick rubbing slowly and stimulating every nerve. He lets out a deep growl to show his appreciation and pushes his forehead against hers to look into her eyes.

She bites her bottom lip and grabs hold at the nape of his neck, letting his strong arms balance and hold them in place. His hands move back to her hips and this time he takes control, bringing her up and down at his pace. She's so wet, and he's so hard, both of them ready to be released from the torture.

"Are you ready to come for me again, Caroline?" he asks her. He secretly hopes she is, because he's not sure he can hold out much longer.

"I've been ready," she laughs. "I've just been enjoying the ride."

He laughs and throws her back down in front of him. "Good, cause I can't control it any longer."

"Then fuck me, Klaus," she demands and grabs hold of his hips to pull him closer. "Good and hard! Take me there!"

He didn't think it was possible, but her dirty words have made him grow even harder. He doesn't waste any more time, and lifts her legs up and over his shoulders. She can't help the breath that gets caught in her chest as he plunges hard and fast. He holds onto one of her legs while his free hand grabs hold of her breast. For the longest time the only sound that echoes through the small dressing room, is Caroline's whimpering, Klaus' growling and the distinctive sound of skin slapping onto skin.

Her back arches as he brings his hand to her ass and lifts it up off the sofa, bringing her throbbing core closer to him. Her breasts bounce, her eyes roll back, and her hand reaches up to the back of the sofa, grasping onto whatever she can as his pounding gets harder.

The lights in the room become hazy, and her eyes glaze over when he brings her foot to his mouth and sucks roughly on her big toe. She didn't even know she liked that until this moment when the sensation tingles through her foot, and down her leg like the fuse on a stick of dynamite. The spark sizzles and the heat is too much when it finally reaches the end and detonates, blasting between her legs and shattering her completely.

She screams his name and clenches onto him, and the pressure is the last straw before he lets go too, his scream just as loud and his pleasure just as great.

He crumbles on top of her, and kisses her again, cupping her face and running his hand through her hair. He may have lost his chance at winning the ring from his brothers, but in this moment, the prize that is lying underneath him is worth more than any ring or trinket he could imagine.

* * *

**That was fun to write!**

**If you had fun reading it, let me know your thoughts. Things have been a little scarce in the review department, which is understandable...but if you liked it, you laughed, you got turned on...whatever...let me know! I'd really love your review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi guys, hi! I know, I know...it's been way too long since my last update, but I don't like rushing things and I like writing when I'm inspired. I got inspired, therefore, I updated. Hahaha. **

**Well, I'd like to take a second and give a shout out to a-little-blonde-distraction, livingdeadblondegirl, klarolineepiclove and sweetklausoline. They all give me their wonderful insights and have been my biggest supporters as I've written this story. Thank you girls! I love ya!**

**I hope you like the chapter. It's a fun one. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"We should get going," Caroline says and sits up from the lounge to unravel herself from Klaus.

They spent the remaining hours of the afternoon, and a little into the evening in the lingerie shop. Klaus was in no hurry to return back to his store, knowing full well that his siblings had the place handled without him. Kol was set to close up for the night, like he'd done many times in the past.

"What's your hurry?" he asks playfully and wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her back to the sofa.

She lets out a small screech and a giggle when she falls back into him and he muffles the sound when his mouth captures hers for another slow and meaningful kiss. Her wide eyes slowly close, as she gives into him for the moment and parts her lips to intensify the kiss.

Their naked limbs begin to twist around each other once more, and his hand glides easily down the curve of her back and back up again. His fingertips make slow, soft circles along her backside causing goosebumps to rise all across her body. The tingling sensation rushes through her, and acting as jet propulsion, she jolts up to cling to him and deepen the kiss.

"Mmm," she purrs. "If you're not careful, I may just have to have my way with you again, Superman."

He throws his head back to let out a chuckle and says, "Is that a challenge, Lois?"

For an instance, she thinks he got her name wrong, and cocks her head to the side. Her eyebrows furrow, and just before she asks him who in the world _Lois_ is, it finally dawns on her.

"Ooooh, Lois Lane!"

Once again, Caroline, is truly proud of herself for understanding a comic book reference. Klaus, on the other hand, just shakes his head and smirks at the blonde. This is really something that needs to be rectified...sooner rather than later.

Klaus suddenly sits up and places his feet on the floor. He squints in front of him, narrowing his eyes to try and find his glasses. He sees the blurry outline of the black square frames sitting on the ottoman, and he reaches out and quickly puts them back in place. He turns in a quick circle, looking at the ground and in search of his clothes.

"_Now_, who's in a hurry?" Caroline asks, and sits up on her knees.

Klaus turns around to face her, when he notices her new position. Now that his glasses are back on, he can fully appreciate her naked form. Every dimple, every curve, every inch of her skin is in clear view and he can only stare at her in amazement.

"Caroline, you're unbelievable," he tells her and steps closer to kiss her once more. She pulls back, and gives him a shy look before lifting her hand in front of him - his shirt and jeans dangling from her fingertips.

"Were you looking for these?"

"Thanks," he tells her and pulls the shirt over his head and slides his pants on. "Now get dressed, but don't go anywhere. I'll be right back!" He places a chaste kiss on the tip of her nose, and races out of the dressing room.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"I told you, if we're going to watch a superhero movie than at least pick a good one."

"There is nothing wrong with this movie, Katherine!"

"Forgive me for not agreeing, _Elijah_!" she says in a mocking tone. "The only superhero I want to remember Chris Evans playing is Captain America, _not_ Johnny Storm."

Elijah straightens his back and takes a deep breath. He's not accustomed to having a woman in his life, let alone one that is so candid with him. "Why must you be so disagreeable?" he mutters and pinches the bridge of his nose.

Katherine stands up from the couch and saunters forward in her Selena Kyle way. She wraps her arms around him, and leans forward, placing soft kisses just below his earlobe. Elijah's thoughts suddenly get fuzzy as she moves her lips down his jawline, each kiss lingering a little longer than the last.

"Would you want me any other way?" she coos, and brings one of her slim fingers to his chin and kisses him gently on the mouth.

Elijah takes a deep breath and exhales forcefully, as he tries to steady himself and keep his composure. What is it about this woman that makes him lose himself completely? She is like fire and ice, which everyone knows should never mix, but with her, it's as if one cannot exist without the other. Her fiery temper, and icy demeanor, can easily turn to a cool disposition and a fiery passion.

He forgets himself completely, and the argument they were just having, when her tongue slips between his lips and greets him. At this point, he would watch Mr. Popper's Penguins, or even worse, The Green Lantern, if it meant staying like this forever.

"Man, can you guys just not, please?"

The two pull away when they hear Jeremy's disgusted tone echo through the living room. He's carrying a large bowl of popcorn and a plate of cookies, which he places on the coffee table before taking his seat in his favorite reclining chair. The chair that his sister decided to take with her when she moved out all those years ago.

Doesn't matter that it was his chair, or that it was in the den where he would lounge playing video games, or that he lost his virginity on it. Vicki Donovan, straddling him, as they reclined back and she rode him until he couldn't take it any longer. It was a moment that he'll never forget, and as cliché as it may sound, she turned him into a man that night. It lead to many more sweet memories of girls straddling him as he took them over the edge and he perfected his craft.

He tried to use it as an excuse for her to not take it, but it was too late. She had her sights set on it, and after a thorough steam cleaning (to remove the "Vicki cooties") and a trip to get it reupholstered so it would match her apartment's decor, it was gone.

"What the two of you do behind closed doors, is your business, but not in public, and definitely not when I'm around."

"My apologies, Jeremy, but I believe your sister cannot refrain from keeping her hands off of me," he replies with a straight face and a glimmer of jest in his tone.

"Dude," Jeremy lounges back into his chair and laughs, "did you just make a joke?"

"It happens on occasion," he chuckles with the young man. He looks down at Kat, who is staring up at him as if she's seeing him for the first time. He takes notice and comments, "I believe the term you are searching for is 'Oh-Em-Gee.'"

"He's on a roll, folks!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After begrudgingly putting her clothes back on, Caroline takes a brief moment to walk through her store to gauge her inventory. They're low on a number of items and she makes a note and places it on the cash register for the morning.

Caroline has never been one to sit still for too long, her overactive and neurotic mind is always plotting and planning, and before too long she is shuffling tables and rearranging displays. The front window display is typically a Monday morning job, but since she has the time, she might as well get started.

She grabs a few of the new items that just came, avoiding the ones that were a part of her little fashion show (those will find a home in her top dresser drawer), and notices a new corset that is a bright orange with black lace and matches the fall leaves that are beginning to form on the maple tree outside.

The front doorbell chimes, and Klaus reenters, catching Caroline off guard with the torso of a mannequin in one hand and a pair of panties in the other.

"Uh-oh, she's started working," Klaus teases. He doesn't give her time to respond and takes the mannequin and places it on the table. He then grabs hold of her hand and brings her back into the dressing room. It's not until she is being pulled behind him that she notices the large box that he is holding, filled to the brim with shiny plastic.

"What's that?"

He leads her back to the chaise lounge and sits down beside her. He places the large box in front of them and begins to take them out one by one.

"This, love, is one of my comic book collections."

"One?" she laughs and looks over at him, "how many do you have?"

"You don't wanna know," he shakes his head and gives her a side smile. "But this is a good one for what I have planned."

"And what exactly are we doing?"

"We," he says and hands her a comic book with a guy in a yellow suit and silver claws on the cover, "are going to teach you comic books 101."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"The Avengers, it is," Kat says, and walks triumphantly to the DVD player to put the movie in. Elijah stares appreciatively at Kat as she bends over and shows off her assets, her designer jeans hugging her nicely. It's hypnotic and only when he hears the annoyed tone of her brother, does he snap back to the present.

"Dude?!" Jeremy says in a derogatory manner. "I'm sitting right here."

Elijah sheepishly glances at the boy and shrugs before reaching forward and grabbing a cookie from the plate of cookies. He doesn't normally eat sweets, but he needs a distraction. He's pleasantly surprised with the chewy goodness as the chocolate and sugar roll around on his tongue. For one that doesn't eat cookies often, he barely notices the herbal aftertaste, as he reaches forward to grab another one.

"Whoa, Elijah, I wouldn't do that," Jeremy warns.

"Do what?" Kat asks as she makes her way back to the sofa to cuddle in next to Elijah.

"Why not?" He asks Jeremy. "They're very tasty."

Kat watches the interaction between the two men, putting pieces together to complete the puzzle of the situation. When she notices the up-to-no-good smirk on Jeremy's face, she flips her head between them and to the plate before saying, "You _didn't_?"

Elijah, per usual, is at a loss as to what is transpiring.

"Is somebody going to clue me in as to why I'm being berated for eating a cookie? And why I can't have another?"

"Oh...sweetie," Kat patronizes him with her tone and dabs away a piece of chocolate from the corner of his mouth. She starts to tell him what he just ate, but instead just shrugs and leans back into the crook of his arm. It's better that he doesn't know.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Okay, so Thor's the only one who can pick up the hammer?"

"Yes."

"Not even The Hulk can pick it up?"

"Nope."

"But he's so strong."

"Yes, but the hammer's magically linked to the person who is worthy of the hammer."

"Well, you don't know if the Hulk isn't worthy. You don't know his life!" she offers adamantly, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation.

Caroline is becoming more and more invested in the conversation, and her competitive side is starting to take hold. She's never been one to back down from a challenge, and she can see right now that if she were to invest any more of her time in this world, her brain would go into overload.

After learning about the X-Men, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, and some basic information on Spiderman, she's becoming all too aware of how complicated this world can be. Klaus also mentioned that these were only Marvel comics, and that superheroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman were all part of another comic book universe called DC.

Her intensity is interrupted when she hears Klaus start to snicker. She glances over at him to see his shoulders shaking and a hand covering his mouth. Her shoulders sag and she looks at him in all seriousness.

"It's not funny," she whines.

"I know, I know." He tries to hold it together.

"Then stop laughing." She picks up the panties she was displaying for him earlier and tosses them across the couch.

He play ducks, as the silky pair fall from his chest and into his lap. The fabric alone is enough for him to get excited once more as he clutches them in his hand. He reaches out for her and she tries to wriggle away, but she is no match for his long arms as he grabs hold of her waist and tosses her down onto her back. He hovers over her, pins her hands above her head and swipes her unruly bangs away from her face.

"That wasn't very nice, Caroline," he says in a playfully dark tone.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" she plays along.

"For starters," he bends down and skims his lips along her collarbone, "you've been dressed for far too long."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

It's a good thing that both Jeremy and Katherine have seen The Avengers multiple times. They don't have to worry about missing any important plot development scenes or any of the amazing action because, as it plays in the background, they can see it in their heads.

This is a good thing because watching Elijah Mikaelson watching The Avengers is far more entertaining in this moment.

The usual tight laced and rigid man, has removed his shoes, his jacket and his tie. He's lounged back comfortably on the couch, his feet are settled onto the coffee table and his arms are stretched back behind his head.

The pair of them see the usually uptight guy, fully relaxed and enjoying the movie. He laughs when things are funny, and nearly cries when moments are sad. He is seemingly normal, except when he does laugh, it's loud and lasts longer than it should, not to mention it's at the most random times.

"_Is this the first time you've lost a soldier? _

_WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS!"_

According to Elijah, this is the funniest moment of the movie.

"Did you see the way Tony's eyes got really big...hahaha...and his nostrils flared...and hahahaha...his jaw was clenched so tight...hahaha."

It took him a good fifteen minutes to calm down, as the image of Tony getting angry would set him off into another fit of hysterical giggles.

Of course this made Kat and Jeremy laugh too, deeming one of the most serious moments of the movie, from here on out, the funniest.

And then this happened...

"_Doctor Banner, I think now might be a good time to get angry." _

"_That's my secret, Cap. I'm always angry!" _

Elijah was very still in this moment. His eyes wide in terror and a pure look of panic on his face. As Bruce morphed into that large green monster, Elijah's eyes sparkled as the brilliance of the scene overwhelmed him. Pools of tears hovered in his lids and as the flying monster drove into The Hulk, the tears spilled out and ran down his face.

It wasn't that he was crying because it was sad. No. He was so intent and so focused on the scene that it was as if he were there himself. At one point, he literally reached his hand out to grasp at something. Kat only looked at him cautiously before placing her hand on top of his and slowly lowering it back down to his lap.

"Thanks," he tells her. "It almost got me."

"No problem," she says in all seriousness and presses her lips together to hold back another laugh and glances over at Jeremy.

She notices her little brother, who's obviously baked himself, rubbing his hands up and down the arms of the recliner, a pensive look masking his face. She shakes her head and slightly shudders, knowing the history her brother has had with the recliner.

"I need to make a phone call," Jeremy says, and pulls out his phone to dial a number and stands up from his seat.

He walks toward the kitchen and she faintly hears him say, "Hey Bekah...whatcha doin'?"

_You are such a dirty slut, Jeremy_, Kat thinks to herself and turns her attention back to Elijah. He's no longer watching the movie, but has now transfixed his gaze onto Katherine. She leans back a little and eyes him warily.

"What?"

"You're really beautiful," he tells her and reaches forward to grasp one of her curls in his hands.

"Oh you think so," she asks and lifts a seductive eyebrow.

Elijah is in no longer interested in finishing The Avengers. He stands to his feet, grabs her by the hand and as he pulls her away from the living room she reaches out and grasps the entire plate of cookies.

"This should be fun," she says and takes a bite before being yanked through her bedroom door.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Caroline clicks off the final light to the lingerie shop as Klaus waits for her by the front door. She's sufficiently had her fill of Klaus' comic book collection, not to mention her fill of Klaus himself.

They walk outside, embracing the crisp air that is beginning to turn up at night as the seasons change. She rubs her hands up and down her arms to warm them.

"Sheesh, I should've brought a coat."

"I have a hoodie back at the shop," he says and walks toward the darkened comic book shop. It's been closed for a couple hours now and so he takes his keys out of his pocket to let himself in. It's not until he goes to put the key in the door that he realizes it's already open.

Not unlocked, but open.

It's been left ajar, and he feels a lump rise in his throat. He slowly pushes open the door all the way and steps inside, and fumbles for the light switch along the wall. It clicks on and as light pours into the shop, he takes a step forward and cringes as his foot lands in the first of many piles of broken glass. His eyes close, his fists clench and he screams, "Son of a bitch!"

* * *

**DUN-DUN-DUN! **

**Haha. Oh no...what's happened? And who the eff forgot to lock the door? **

**Hope you like the chapter. I tried to give you a little Kalijah, since I felt like they've been missed. **

**It would be so wonderful, if you're still reading this story to let me know what you think in the cute little box below. Also remember you can find me on Tumblr at jomosfamilyjewels. **

**Ta-ta! Until next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys!** **We're back! If you haven't noticed yet, I did change my FF name to match my Tumblr url. No more The Deej...but you're more than welcome to still call me that. =)**

**Thanks to my lovely Betas. Alex, Becky, Miranda and the ultimate hard ass Kristen! You suck and I love you! **

**You're all probably dying to see what happens, so without further ado...**

* * *

Every step in the store is accompanied with the sound of shattered glass. It's sprinkled on the floor and on the counters, and with each crunch Klaus' heart sinks lower into his stomach. He's never experienced a panic attack before but as his pulse quickens, his hands begin to shake and the room begins to spin, he's certain he's having one. He stumbles forward to rest his palms on the now broken counter to find balance before his knees give way.

As he surveys the store, the panic only worsens. He notices many valuable items that once had a home in their glass cases, that have now vanished. He looks down and notices his DC collectibles are gone too. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman have been nicked, and although they are simple trinkets that were marked up significantly, their loss will certainly add to the financial damage the store has taken.

He can vaguely hear Caroline say his name as he feels her hands wrap around his shoulders and her soothing tone begin to calm him down. As if his surroundings didn't have him worried enough, he still manages to feel a rush of embarrassment as he imagines what Caroline must think of him in this moment. There's no confident and cool Klaus to be found, but instead he's been whittled away into mere shambles of the man he's been transformed into since meeting her.

"Klaus," she says again and turns his chin so he's facing her. "Take a deep breath." She looks firmly in his eyes and nods her head, waiting for him to respond. She demonstrates and takes a solid deep breath through her nose and exhales slowly through her mouth. He focuses on mimicking the rise and fall of her shoulders, breathing right along with Caroline.

"Good, keep doing that." She takes a step forward and gently grabs the back of his neck and places her forehead on his. She takes a few more breaths with him, staying close and staring at the ground, when she notices a drop of red paint hit the floor at their feet. No, not paint...blood. Her eyes travel up his legs and torso when she suddenly snaps his hand off of the counter. "Oh Klaus, your hand."

He didn't even feel the bits of glass digging into his flesh as he rested on the broken display. Blood pools in his palm as she turns his hand to inspect the damage. "Come here," she demands and pulls him behind the counter and back to his office.

She sits him down at his desk and searches for the first piece of fabric she can find. He looks down at his palm and feels his head get woozy. The sight of blood always makes him nauseous, and the fact that it's his own only heightens his senses. He shuts his eyes and tries to focus on something other than the gory display but can't ignore the throbbing pain he's beginning to feel and the queasy feeling in his stomach.

"Will this work?" Caroline asks and he squints one eye open to see what she's holding.

"No," Klaus tells her and yanks his hand away before she can apply pressure.

"Klaus, we need to bandage your hand."

"That's fine, just not with that shirt. It's one of my favorites."

Caroline lifts the t-shirt up to inspect it and notices that she selected one of the first shirts she remembers seeing him in. A faded blue tee with a Captain America emblem on the front.

"That one," he says and points to a black shirt hanging out of the top drawer of his dresser.

Caroline rushes over and grabs it. She takes this opportunity to distract him from the current situation. "You don't like this shirt?" she asks him.

"It's Kol's," he plainly states. "Seeing as he's the daft idiot that left the door unlocked before he left. Seems only fitting."

"Well, in that case…"

Klaus hears the distinct sound of fabric ripping and looks up to see Caroline with a shredded t-shirt in her hands. He's not sure why the idea of her petite frame finding enough strength to rip through a t-shirt turns him on, but he's now not only panicking and bleeding but on the verge of arousal, and he's not sure if he should focus on the throbbing in his hand or the throbbing in his pants.

"She-Hulks got nothing on you," he jokes.

She lets out a soft giggle and her bright smile calms him enough to start thinking rationally again. He looks down at his hand as she gently wraps the fabric around his wound. His pulse is almost normal and by the time she's tied it off he's feeling like himself again. He shakes his head and closes his eyes. "You must think I'm a complete ninny."

"Oh yes." She nods her head in agreement, "Your most valuable possession in your entire world just got ransacked and you acted like a complete and total ninny," she teases then looks up at him and smirks. He shifts in his seat and an amused smile spreads across his face. She throws her arms around him and buries her face in his neck. "I'm so sorry, Klaus," she says sincerely.

"It'll be alright," he tells her but he's not so sure it will be. They stay in each other's embrace for a moment longer before he speaks up. "I should call my family."

"No, you should call the police," Caroline insists. "I'll call your family for you." She stands up and puts her hands on her hips. "And in the meantime, you should start taking inventory of the things that have been stolen. Make sure not to touch anything else, we want to be certain that we don't disrupt any evidence. Oh and we should call Kol first and make sure it was, in fact, him that left the door unlocked and that's how the burglars got in."

"It is," he says with a hint of venom behind his tone.

"Are you sure? I mean, you did come back to the store to get your comic books to show me."

"Yeah, he was still here counting the till. I even reminded him to make sure everything was locked up and he just sort of waved me off." He can't believe this has happened and his anger toward Kol starts to grow.

"Hm," Caroline responds calmly. "Well, come on. Let's try and make this process as painless as possible."

Klaus stands up and reaches out to grab Caroline's hand. "Thank you," he smiles and cradles her small hand in both of his.

"For what?"

"I kind of lost my cool there for a minute. You took my mind off of it...you brought me back."

Caroline reaches up with her free hand and brushes away the curls from his forehead, just like he's done for her so many times. "You're welcome."

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"It's like this bed is a soft, pillowy cloud and we're soaring above the earth."

"Naked."

"Yes, like little naked angels, rolling around in the clouds."

"And doing dirty, naughty things to each other."

"Or kittens, who found the roll of toilet paper and made a mess of things."

"Dirty, naughty kittens."

"OOOOOR, like this is my harem and you're my beautiful concubine."

Kat feels like this would be a good time to be offended, but she's too high to care, so she just goes with it.

"A dirty, _naughty _concubine, who lives to please her Sultan of Sex."

Snorting laughter fills Kat's bedroom as her and Elijah continue their "provocative" conversation. The plate of cookies is nearly gone and they've built a quasi-fort out of the sheets, hiding them from the outside world. The sheet is neatly tucked behind the headboard and hovering over their heads and they've scattered every pillow in the house behind them and under them and at their feet. They roll onto their sides to face one another, and Elijah runs a hand through her hair and she traipses her hand down his chest.

"You're the most beautiful angel I've ever encountered."

She scoots closer and rubs her nose against his, giving him a sensual eskimo kiss. "I think we both know that I'm no angel," she thrums.

Elijah skims his knuckles gently down her cheek and becomes transfixed on her face. "Speaking of angels, did you know that Elijah means 'God is Lord'?"

"No, I didn't," she giggles and transitions right along with him to the next topic of conversation. "Did you know that my name isn't really Katherine?"

"What is it?" Elijah's eyes get wide with astonishment, as if this is the most interesting news he's heard in quite some time.

"Katerina."

"Katerina," he repeats. "I like that. Katerina...Katereeena...Kah-tuh-reena," he says her name again and again. "You are certainly a sexy naughty angel with a name like that."

"Well ironically it means 'pure'."

Elijah bursts into laughter. "Does it?" he asks between hoots and cackles.

"Yep."

"Hahaha, Katerina the Pure! Hahaha!"

The two of them fall into a barrage of laughter once more, neither one being able to form complete sentences. The turn in conversation moves from sexy to hysterical but it suddenly halts when Elijah puts a finger to Kat's mouth and listens intently to a peculiar sound.

"Do you hear that, my Katerina?"

"What?" she holds perfectly still.

"It's as if the heaven's above are ringing celebration bells of our love."

Kat rolls her eyes and laughs, swatting him on the arm. "That's your phone, silly."

"Oh."

"I'll get it." Kat crawls over him and lifts the sheet up. Her head and arms are out of the fortress but her lower half is draped across Elijah's torso. She picks up his phone and slides her finger to answer it.

"Elijah 'Sultan of Sex and God is Lord' Mikaelson's phone," she answers cleverly. "Oh, hey Care...wait...why are you calling Elijah's phone?"

There's a pause in conversation and Elijah runs his hands up her naked body. He grabs her ass then spanks it.

"Oh no...okay...OOOOWEEE, ELIJAH STOP THAT...no, I'm here...okay...yeah...we'll see you soon."

Kat hangs up the phone and just in time too as she feels herself being yanked back under the blankets.

"We have to go," she tells him seriously.

"But I don't want to. I want to stay right here," he pouts and Katherine presses a kiss to his cheek.

"Your brother needs you at the comic book shop. It seems you've been robbed."

The correct response would be fury and rage, or at least concern, but all Kat gets out of Elijah is another uproar of laughter.

"That...hahaha…is terrible news...Katerina...hahaha!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Okay, I finally got a hold of Bekah, she and Jeremy are on their way."

"Why is she with Jeremy? I thought she would be with Bonnie."

"Yeah, why is Bekah with Jeremy?"

Klaus and Caroline turn their heads to see a confused Kol standing in the threshold of the shop. His mop of hair is in disarray and his brow is low and knit together.

"Kol, you stupid son-of-a-bitch!" Klaus takes three large steps toward his brother, his anger boiling forth at first sight of the dimwit. Kol swiftly moves out of the way of his brother's oncoming storm, dodging his grasp and sliding on shards of glass and debris to get to the other side of the store.

"Whoa, settle down Klaus!"

"Settle down? _Settle down_?! You forgot to lock the door, and look what happened," he screams and gestures out to the destruction surrounding them.

"I'm sorry, I could've sworn I locked it."

"Well obviously you didn't!" Klaus moves toward Kol again, reaching out his hands to throttle the nuisance.

He dodges him again and throws back his own thoughts on the situation. "You were right next door, how could you not hear what was happening over here?"

"Are you kidding me?" Klaus spits. "Are you seriously trying to blame me for this?"

"Well, if you weren't so busy getting _busy _with her," he points at Caroline, "Then maybe you could've stopped this before it even happened."

Klaus can't believe what he's hearing and Caroline's mouth drops open in astonishment. She's trying to be the level headed one in this scenario, but Kol's pushing buttons and she feels her own anger start to rise.

"Listen here you little shit," Klaus points a finger at him. "What happens between Caroline and I is none of your fucking business."

"Oh, I didn't realize your little tryst had become so secretive. Silly me for thinking that you're just having a little fun with the blonde tart next door."

The defensive screech that comes from Caroline, is comical in nature, but fueled with offense. "Tart?!" It's Caroline's turn to rush at the boy, fists clenched and ready to rumble.

Klaus steps between them, holding Caroline back. He doesn't go for Kol again but glares at him with more warning than any fist could muster. "_Not _that it's any of your business, but I happen to be in love with that 'tart', you stupid ass!"

Caroline lowers her fist and stops struggling to get at Kol. She stares at the back of Klaus' head, not sure she heard him correctly or if she should be offended that he too called her a tart. Did he just say he loved her? The scene seems to simmer, and just in time, as the distinct blue and red lights of the police car out front reflect into the shop.

"Stay here!" Klaus tells Kol and turns to meet the police officer at the door.

Kol sighs heavily and looks over at Caroline. He lowers his head and shifts a pile of debris around with his foot. "Sorry I called you a tart. I don't really think that."

"It's fine," she says but doesn't hold back the displeasure in her voice. She isn't sure she's ready to fully commit to his apology.

"Caroline?"

"What?"

"Why is Bekah with Jeremy and not Bonnie?"

Caroline shifts in her place and swallows hard. This really couldn't be a worse time to have this discussion. "Uummm," she fumbles for the words. She looks over at Klaus who is in the throes of conversation with the cop, to avoid looking Kol in the eye. "I'm not...I'm not really sure."

She leaves it at that and quickly walks away, leaving Kol feeling horrible and confused.

"Worst night ever!"

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

After about an hour, the cop has gotten all the information needed, as well as the list of missing items that Klaus made earlier, per Caroline's insistence. He gives the shop and all clear after rendering it of any evidence there may be. He said something about it being a concise robbery, with little to go from other than the items that were specifically stolen. There was no evidence of prints, just a smash and grab sort of job.

"A lot of these small time robberies are typically solved. Especially since this sort of occurrence rarely happens in town. Most likely we'll be able to track the thief by finding the items they stole on Ebay or sometimes Craigslist. In the meantime, perhaps you should invest in some security cameras, and an alarm for your door."

"Thank you, Officer. We'll definitely consider it."

The cop drives away and Klaus turns back to the shop. Caroline has wasted no time at all in beginning to clean the shattered glass and start putting things back in order. Kol is doing the same, a pity look on his face as he sweeps some glass into a dustpan. He's about to join them when he hears another car pull up behind him. A yellow taxi's doors open and Elijah and Katherine step out.

"Klaus!" Elijah says and walks over and wraps his arms around his younger brother. Klaus freezes in place with his hands at his side as his body is forcefully pushed into the embrace.

"Hey Elijah," he says hesitantly and looks over at Kat and mouths, "What in the world?"

"Katerina," Elijah beckons Kat, "come and embrace Klaus."

"That's alright, Elijah, I think you're doing a fine job."

Elijah straightens up and leaves his hands on Klaus' shoulders. He looks at him sincerely and tilts his head. "Klaus, brother?"

"Yes, Elijah?"

"Don't worry, we've got insurance."

Leave it to Elijah to still be a tad rational even when he's not in his right mind.

"Thanks, Elijah."

"And Klaus?"

"Yes, Elijah?"

"Did you know that Katherine's name is actually Katerina?"

"I did not know that."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"What in the world is he on?" Klaus turns and asks Kat.

"Cookies!"

Elijah and Kat look at each other and begin to laugh again.

"Such good cookies," he exclaims and grabs her by the waist, pulling her close and kissing her with a little more passion than necessary in public.

"Ew, get a room!"

The two part ways and turn to see Bekah and Jeremy coming up to the scene.

"Jere Bear!"

"Kit Kat," he replies with her own nickname, but with half the enthusiasm.

"Jeremy, I'm probably going to be very cross with you in the morning, but right now I'm going to tell you that those were the best cookies I have ever had the privilege of eating."

Jeremy reacts similar to Klaus and just stands there as he is brought in for a hug from Elijah. He pats him on the back and laughs, "No problem, man."

Bekah looks over at the shop and covers her mouth. "Oh dear, what a mess." She moves to peer inside when she's confronted with a disgruntled Kol.

He looks between her and Jeremy and says, "What the hell, Bekah? Where's Bonnie?"

With all the chaos of the night and the rush to get down to the shop, Bekah didn't even think about what response Kol would have seeing the two of them together. Last he knew, she was with Bonnie, and playing for the other team.

"Oh...hey, Kol," Bekah says hesitantly. "It's not what it looks like, well...it is what it looks like, but I can explain."

"Why are we explaining?" Jeremy questions. "It's not like Kol's had issues with us sleeping together before."

"Jeremy?!" Rebekah scolds him.

"What?"

"If you're still sleeping with Jeremy then what the hell happened with Bonnie?" He's not sure he gets what's going on but what he does know is that either Bekah has denied Bonnie's feelings for her, or...

"Listen, I think Bonnie should explain-"

"Explain what?"

The entourage looks over at the sound of Bonnie's voice. The girl saunters toward them and covers her mouth to yawn. "What's going on?"

"I'd like to know why the hell Rebekah is still sleeping with Jeremy, if the two of you are supposedly together?"

Bonnie freezes. This is not what she was expecting when she was called into work at one o'clock in the morning. She was here to help clean up the mess and answer any questions about the evening that Klaus may have, not be confronted about her and Bekah's shenanigans. She's saved from explaining herself for the moment when Elijah pipes in, disrupting the tense conversation.

"Bonnie's here! Look, Katerina, Bonnie's here!"

"I see that. Hi Bonnie, you look awful!"

Bonnie glances down at her pajama bottoms and hoodie and rolls her eyes, "Wow, it's nice to see you too, Kat."

Klaus has remained quiet during the exchange of his family and employees, but figures it's time to take the two potheads away for their own safety. "Okay you two. Why don't we go help Caroline clean up the mess?"

"Yes, that's a brilliant idea, brother. Do you have anything to eat? I'm starving!"

"Oh my God, me too!"

Klaus touches them both on the shoulder and guides them inside the store. He looks over at Bonnie and mouths, I'm sorry, and brings an imaginary joint to his mouth to explain their lack of manners. She nods in understanding and can't help but smile. If it weren't for the extremely uncomfortable situation she's in, she thinks she'd enjoy interacting with a high Elijah.

Bonnie turns her attention back to Kol and starts to explain. She starts with the simple truth. "Kol, I'm not...I'm not gay."

Kol's face turns to stone and he closes his eyes. He doesn't scream at her, which surprises him, he seems to be more hurt than anything else. It takes him some time to respond but when he finally does he speaks in a quiet, almost gentle tone. "Why would you lie about something like that?"

"It's just…" she's not sure where to start. "I didn't think that…I didn't mean to…"

"Bonnie?" Kol interrupts with exasperation. "Tell me why you would do something like this?"

Jeremy clears his throat and looks over at Bekah. He's pieced it together a lot quicker than Kol, and realizes that whatever transpired between the three, the reason behind it is because Bonnie has feelings for Kol. "Should we head inside too, Rebekah?"

Bekah looks over at Bonnie, not wanting to leave her friend if she still needs her support. Bonnie nods at Bekah, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's fine."

Jeremy wraps an arm around Bekah and they step inside to help the others.

Kol turns back to Bonnie, expecting her to say something, and when she doesn't he reacts to her silence. "So?"

There's no more skirting around the issue, it's time to tell him. She's terrified. So worried that he is going to reject her, and that the damage that's been done may be too much to even restore their friendship. "Kol...I have feelings for you."

Kol opens his mouth to respond, but quickly closes it. He's not sure how to respond. There are a mix of emotions running through him. First he's furious because of the deceit, second confusion because why the hell would she make up such a crazy lie, and thirdly...relief. He's so relieved to hear that she's not gay, and that there's still a chance he could have her.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I just...I wanted you to care for me because of who I am to you and not because of my new...look."

"So you thought the best way to do that was to lead me to believe that you're a lesbian?"

It's Bonnie's turn to be speechless. It sounds absolutely ridiculous when it's put that way. She puts her hands to her mouth and at first Kol thinks she's about to cry. Which would be the worst because he's never been good with any woman crying, let alone his best friend. But she's not crying, she's doing a terrible job at hiding the large smile behind her hands. Her eyes light up and she can't hold it in and she busts out in laughter.

"I'm not sure what's so funny?" He tries to keep a straight face, but the situation is just so ridiculous that it's not long before he's joining her. "You...are crazy!"

"I know," she agrees. "The craziest...I don't know what I was thinking." The relief that she feels, watching him smile at her and teasing her like he always does, causes a flood of tears to rush to her eyes.

Oh no...tears. So much for not worrying about Bonnie crying.

He rushes over to her and pulls her into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry, Kol."

"I know you are."

"So, you're not mad at me?"

"I'm furious!" he looks down at her and cups her face in his hands, wiping away a few tears with his thumbs. She peers up at him with those gorgeous green eyes, glistening and pleading with him to forgive her.

"Kol I-"

She doesn't get to finish. His lips are on hers before she can say another word.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

Before anyone realizes it, it's 5:30 in the morning and the shop seems to be back in order. The glass has been picked up and the comics are in their rightful place. Bonnie, Kol, Bekah and Jeremy have already left and Elijah and Kat are passed out on Klaus' bed in the back, leaving Caroline and Klaus alone.

Caroline places the broom back in its place and walks over to help Klaus with the final touches on the front display case. It's empty, and they'll need to get all the glass repaired. Thank God they have Elijah. It's never something that he thinks about, so he's grateful for having a brother that does think about those behind the scenes details of running a business.

Caroline yawns and glances at her watch. "Wow, I can't believe we stayed up all night."

"I'm sorry, you didn't have to help."

"Don't be silly, I wanted to." She yawns again and laughs, "Not sure how I'm going to get through the day next door. We might have to close a little early."

He places his hands on her shoulders and brings her in for a hug and kisses her on the head. "Well, I know what would help."

"Mmm, what's that?" she asks and snuggles into him.

"Coffee!"

"Yes!" she exclaims, "such an awesome idea."

"I'll run and get some. Don't go anywhere."

"I won't." She smiles up at him and he leans down and kisses her.

He heads out the door to cross the street to the coffee shop and her heart beats a little faster when she remembers his words earlier. She hasn't brought it to his attention yet, but the fact that he said he loved her has been playing over and over again in her mind. She thought that perhaps she was the only one who was feeling it, and was worried that it was too soon, but now that she knows how he feels, she's more keen to reciprocate his feelings.

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

"Good morning, Klaus. You're here early!"

Klaus smiles at the barista. "Yeah, we had a little incident at the shop last night."

"Oh no, I hope everything's okay."

"It will be," he tells her and leaves it at that. He has no desire in filling in the details, as he's too tired to even formulate words. He orders their coffees and sits down at one of the tables to wait.

He stretches his legs up and grabs the magazine sitting on the table. He casually flips through it but stops when he sees a familiar face.

At the top of the celebrity gossip page, he sees her. Caroline is sitting in a car and leaning in to kiss a way too good looking blonde guy in the passenger seat.

_What the hell? _

He snaps forward and stares at the photo, which is paired with another one of Caroline and the blonde, Matthew Donovan, walking hand in hand down the street. The title reads:

**Is Matthew Donovan Rekindling the Flame With His Ex? **

**\-[0]-[0]-/**

* * *

**Well well well. You all thought Matt Donovan was out of the picture, didn't you? Bahaha! **

**Please let me know what you think! I need your reviews like Elijah needs to get high more often. **

**Oh, P.S. - don't do drugs! Unless it's wrapped in a warm gooey cookie! Haha, I'm the worst role model. Don't be like me. ;-)**

**I'm also in the running for a couple categories in the Klaroline Awards, on Tumblr. If you have a minute, pop on over and vote on the Tumblr blog klarolineawards. Your fan support for all categories, would be awesome! **

**Until next time!**

***Flies away***


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